Broward Schools move district staff into Forest Glen Middle as Coral Springs school closure discussions return
Coral Springs, Florida – The future of Forest Glen Middle School in Coral Springs is once again drawing attention as Broward County Public Schools prepares to restart discussions about possible school closures amid continuing enrollment declines across the district.
For the third consecutive year, district leaders are beginning the process of reviewing campuses that may no longer have enough students to justify remaining open. While no specific schools are named in the upcoming presentation for the Broward County School Board, Forest Glen Middle School remains part of the broader conversation after previously appearing on the closure list.
The district board is scheduled to hold a workshop on Tuesday, July 21, to begin discussions about the potential changes. Officials will review the process, criteria, community engagement plans, and timeline for evaluating schools. A list of campuses being considered is expected to be presented later in August.
At the same time, Forest Glen is preparing to take on a new role within the district. District academic employees will move into a service hub located inside the school, making it one of three campuses selected to receive workers currently based at the Dr. Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center.
Read also: Coral Springs leaders move forward with phased plan for Sportsplex improvements
The move is connected to the district’s plan to lease portions of its administration building to outside tenants, according to district documents. The relocation will allow district employees to continue working while the district makes changes to its administrative space.
However, the move also brings renewed attention to Forest Glen’s enrollment challenges. The school was kept open last year after community members strongly opposed its possible closure, but the enrollment numbers that originally placed the school under review have not significantly changed.
Forest Glen currently has 935 students enrolled in a building designed to accommodate 1,627 students. That means the school is operating at about 57.5 percent of its capacity. District projections estimate enrollment could decline further, reaching approximately 763 students by the 2030-31 school year.
The situation reflects a larger trend affecting schools throughout Broward County. District enrollment has dropped significantly over the past decade. In the 2015-16 school year, Broward County Public Schools enrolled 225,554 students. By the most recent school year, enrollment had fallen to 187,847 students, representing a loss of nearly 38,000 students.
District officials have previously warned that enrollment could decline by another 10,000 students next year, adding pressure to review school operations and consider possible closures or changes.
Forest Glen became a major focus during last year’s closure discussions because of its low enrollment. Community members organized to keep the school open, arguing that the campus remained important to local families.
During the previous debate, Board Member Allen Zeman moved to add Forest Glen back into the list of schools being considered for closure. Board Member Lori Alhadeff, who represents Coral Springs, opposed the move, and the board ultimately voted to keep the school open.
What happens next remains uncertain. The district’s upcoming workshop will not identify specific campuses but will outline how the review process will move forward.
According to the timeline presented to the board, district staff plan to bring a list of schools under consideration on Aug. 25. The board is expected to make final decisions on potential closures during a vote scheduled for Dec. 15. Families would receive notification of those decisions the following day.
As Broward County continues to adjust to changing enrollment patterns, Forest Glen Middle School remains at the center of a difficult conversation involving school capacity, community concerns, and the future use of district facilities.
