South Florida school leaders warn teacher losses likely if funding referendum fails in November

School leaders in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are urging voters to head to the polls ahead of referendums on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The referendums are already in place in both school districts, and approval by voters would renew the funding without any tax increase.

At a town hall meeting in Doral on Tuesday, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Rafael Villalobos emphasized the importance of continued investment in public education.

"Many of the people living and working in the county are products of public schools," Villalobos said at an afternoon press conference. "We should be proud of that, and want to continue to invest in that. That is our security."

In Miami-Dade, referendum funds support school safety and security initiatives and help increase teacher salaries. District leaders say the additional funding helps retain and recruit educators amid rising living costs.

"This would be detrimental to Miami-Dade County Public Schools as a whole because now you can lose high-quality teachers," Villalobos said. "You won't be able to attract more teachers just because of the cost of living in Miami-Dade County."

In Broward County, officials say referendum dollars help fund nearly 400 safety personnel, safety technology upgrades, mental health professionals, and approximately $173 million annually for teacher and staff compensation.

"This is one of the only vehicles that we are allowed to ask the public to provide additional local effort, making investment in the education that students are receiving," Broward Superintendent Howard Hepburn said.

According to Broward schools, failure of the referendum would result in the loss of about $358 million each year, creating additional financial challenges as the district already faces budget reductions.

"Our investment in our teachers and other frontline staff is an investment in our students," Hepburn said. "It helps ensure they continue to have the incredible outcomes they achieve day in and day out, which contributes to Broward County overall."

Officials in both districts noted that charter schools are also eligible to receive referendum funding.