Broward school board member calls for state review following DeSantis criticism
Broward County School Board Member Adam Cervera called on state officials to “address a series of alarming financial and oversight failures” within the public schools system as the district faces a mounting budget crisis, declining enrollment and the possibility of several school closures.
Cervera stepped away from a school board workshop happening simultaneously on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center in Fort Lauderdale to deliver his remarks, which followed a news release outlining what he described as ongoing financial mismanagement by the district.
The call comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed Cervera last April to his seat on the school board, said the district is a “disaster in many different ways” being run to benefit “the entrenched interests, particularly the school unions, rather than the parents and the students,” and that the state should consider taking it over.
“There’s a handful of spots around the state where maybe thrusting some of these entities into receivership may be the best way going forward,” DeSantis said during a news conference on Jan. 12 in Davie.
When asked by reporters whether he agrees with placing the district under receivership, Cervera said, “Everything has to be on the table,” according to the Miami Herald.
In his news release, Cervera listed some of the controversies that the school board has involved in:
- A $2.6 million off-site lease for district staff despite dozens of underutilized school campuses.
- A botched multimillion-dollar procurement process affecting oversight of $1.2 billion in SMART Bond projects.
- Misallocation of teacher referendum dollars, with hundreds of thousands diverted to high-ranking administrators instead of educators.
“Failures occurring as the District faces a near $100 million deficit, a hiring freeze, and potential school closures,” Cervera’s news release reads.
“Our students, parents, and teachers deserve better than this. Taxpayers deserve better than this. Broward families expect transparency and accountability, not waste.”
Broward County Public Schools has about 10,000 fewer students than it did last year, contributing to a budget shortfall of approximately $94 million. The district, which receives state funding based on enrollment, is projected to lose more than 25,000 students over the next five years, according to district data.
The school board is expected to vote at its next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21, whether to close four elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school.
In Pembroke Pines, two schools are recommended for closure: Panther Run Elementary and Palm Cove Elementary, both of which would be repurposed for other district uses. Two other schools would undergo boundary changes: Walter C. Young Middle and Charles W. Flanagan High.
Additional boundary shifts and school changes are being considered in Miramar, Hallandale Beach and Fort Lauderdale.
The proposed closures are part of the district’s multi-phase plan, “Redefining Our Schools,” and if approved, would take effect for the 2026–27 school year.
Last month, Chief Operations Officer Wanda Paul stepped down from her position after Cervera publicly called for her resignation, citing “operational failures” under her leadership.
“I think everybody needs to take a hard look in the mirror and decide whether or not they’re doing their jobs to the best of their ability,” Cervera said during Tuesday’s news conference.
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Broward school board member calls for state review following DeSantis criticism."
