ST. LUCIE COUNTY — For the first time in more than a decade, St. Lucie Public Schools recorded a decline in student enrollment after years of steady growth of 800 to 1,200 students annually.
Superintendent Dr. Jon R. Prince said the unexpected decrease follows expanded school choice options for families across Florida.
"But with the implementation of the Florida Empowerment Scholarship and the options that families have with regards to using those scholarships either to go to private school, home school, micro school, there's plenty of options for our families. So this year we saw drop in enrollment that we did not anticipate," Prince said.
The decline translates to roughly a $7 million loss in funding for the district, prompting school leaders to review the budget and consider adjustments if the shortfall continues.
Prince said student safety will remain the top priority regardless of financial decisions.
"Number one, we want to make sure that our students are safe. No matter what we do and whatever decision we make with regards to the budget, the safety of our students cannot be compromised," he said.
He also emphasized that district leaders are working to shield classrooms from the impact of potential cuts and to support employees through any restructuring.
"We want to avoid layoffs. We want to make sure that any decisions we make as a district is we value people and we want to make sure that everybody has a landing spot even if they're not in the same position that they were in. They're in a comparable position in which they're certified in and we want to make sure that we prioritize that people can still make sure that they can provide for their families," Prince said.
While specific reductions have not been finalized, Prince indicated that any staffing adjustments would largely occur at the district level rather than at individual schools.
"This building will have proportionally a lot more reductions than we have out at our school centers and also strategically preparing us for the future and kind of making sure that we're ready for whatever happens next year," he said.
The process remains in its early stages, with discussions underway among the superintendent, school board members, union representatives and other administrators.
"And then I'll be making some final recommendations to the board if necessary if we have any kind of changes that are unexpected. And then we'll share our final plan with the principals after I talk again with board members," Prince said.
District allocations reflecting any changes are expected to be released publicly in April. Prince said employees who may be displaced would be placed into new positions by May or June.
Despite the financial uncertainty, Prince expressed optimism that the enrollment shift may not be long-term.
"I'm hoping last year was a one-time speed bump to the future, but no matter what we'll position ourselves financially for the district that we're going to be prepared for anything," he said.