Facing a growing loss of students and $32.6 million dollars of revenue, the School District of Broward County wants to implement a “hard hiring freeze” immediately. Superintendent Howard Hepburn issued a memorandum on Monday to deal with mounting financial troubles. He said the district is facing a “negative fiscal impact” aka “budget shortfall”of $94.7 million dollars.

“Broward County Public Schools…is experiencing a significant and ongoing decline in student enrollment.” Hepburn wrote. “[T]he District is projected to lose an additional 3,600 students this school year, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of an additional $32.6 million.”

Hepburn wrote these numbers “When combined with the earlierenrollment decline (approximately 6,800 students) and known increases in employee benefits, utilities, and other operational expenses, the District now faces a net negative fiscal impact of $94.7 million.”

In order to “safeguard the District’s financial stability and preserve essential services for our students, staff, and community” Hepburn wants to implement an immediate hard hiring freeze.

The freeze will include reassigning duties and “maximizing efficiency within existing staffing resources.”

Additionally, Hepburn wants to freeze out of county travel as well as reducing overtime expenditures.

He said, “We are also conducting a comprehensive review of contracts, purchasing, staffing allocations, and overtime practices to identify additional savings. Cost saving measures identified through this review will be implemented District-wide to protect financial stability and maintain core services for students and families.”

DOGE anyone?