South Florida School Districts Turn Down Charter Schools’ Facility Requests Mostly
Broward and Palm Beach County school districts have rejected nearly all requests from charter schools to share space on their campuses.
A total of 197 requests were submitted for the 2027-28 school year, with 196 being turned down.
The requests were made under the “Schools of Hope” program, which allows charter schools to locate near or on the same campus as traditional schools.
Palm Beach County rejected all 70 requests it received, citing that two of the providers were not state-approved.
Broward County has approved none of the requests so far, with the exception of one pending proposal from KIPP Team & Family Schools Inc.
The school districts cited various reasons for the rejections, including geographic guidelines and material impracticality.
Some schools lacked sufficient parking or had plans to use extra space for other purposes.
Others had concerns about traffic congestion, safety, and potential tax-exempt criteria issues.
The rejections have sparked concerns from state officials, with Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas warning districts to comply with the Schools of Hope law.
Kamoutsas stated that the state will hold districts accountable for their decisions and ensure that the law is followed.
The rejected charter schools may appeal the decisions to a magistrate, who will make a recommendation to the commissioner of education.
The Schools of Hope program was expanded this year to allow charter schools to locate on the same campus as traditional schools, regardless of their performance rating.
Districts are required to provide services such as maintenance and security to the charter schools, which has raised concerns about the impact on their budgets.
Broward Superintendent Howard Hepburn estimated that the district may need to spend $22 million to accommodate the charter schools.