14School Board of Broward County, FloridaFort Lauderdale, FL(957) 765-6000www.browardschools.comWith 260,892 students enrolled in Broward Schools, the total space used by the Broward County School Board exceeds 31.5 million square feet. Of this, the system reports 10 office buildings comprising 734,406 square feet; 1,865 educational buildings totaling 30.4 million square feet; and 20 industrial buildings equaling 353,023 square feet. With 186 professionals involved full-time in facilities and a facilities capital budget in 2003 at $229.2 million, new construction to be completed encompasses 1.5 million square feet of space, while space undergoing modernization is at 350 square feet. As one of the nation’s fastest-growing school systems, Broward adds about 10,000 new students each year.[Editors’ Note: As a way to keep up with a booming population, the School Board of Broward County, Florida, has embarked on an aggressive construction plan with new schools and replacement facilities. Promising that all students will attend a school “that is safe, secure, and conducive to student health and well-being” and to “reorganize and align the essential student support systems, school operations, and technology to maximize student achievement,” the school has developed and implemented a significant electronic infrastructure to enhance effective and positive internal and external communication. Broward’s District Educational Facilities Plan for fiscal years 2003-2004 through 2007-2008 is built on a long-range, data-driven approach based on demographic data and critical needs, rather than a narrow-focused annual capital budget-building process. School facilities professionals: Take note of this model for K-12 growing pains.]
