FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Broward County Public Schools held a special workshop on Monday as part of its “Redefining Our Schools” initiative.

It comes as district officials crunch numbers again, with student enrollment dwindling.

The steep dropoff comes as charter schools continue to expand.

That means several proposals for school closures and consolidations are on the table, including the latest updated recommendations to consolidate Sunshine Elementary School into Fairway Elementary School and consolidate Palm Cove Elementary School into Lakeside Elementary and Pine Lakes Elementary schools.

One school board member previously called closures “inevitable.”

“We need to drop the piecemeal approach and pursue this more holistically, or the outcome could worsen our challenges rather than resolve them,” parent Jacqui Luscombe said. “We need a district-wide plan.”

Some options sparked heated debate. Some parents worry about the long-lasting impact if their schools close for good.

“These decisions are irreversible,” parent Felicia Shuman said. “A school closed today does not reopen tomorrow; a building sold today is gone forever. A community that loses its neighborhood schools is losing something that cannot be rebuilt.”

The Broward County School Board is expected to make a final decision in January.

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