Audit says Broward schools may owe $878,000 for attendance errors
Attendance reporting errors could force Broward schools to repay $878,000, adding pressure to budgets as state auditors and board members review the problem.
A state audit says Broward County Public Schools may have to repay $878,000 after attendance reporting errors, a hit that could flow back into district budgets if the money is clawed back. Because student attendance data helps drive Florida funding and other administrative decisions, the finding raises questions about how the district tracks enrollment and whether classrooms, staff positions or support services could feel the squeeze.
The repayment recommendation is tied to the Florida Auditor General’s operational audit of the Broward County District School Board, report No. 2025-129, issued in February 2025. That review covered the 2023-24 fiscal year, when Dr. Peter Licata served as superintendent before Dr. Earleen Smiley continued as interim superintendent through July 10, 2023, and Dr. Howard Hepburn took over April 16, 2024. The audit timing puts the attendance issue inside a broader period of turnover and close scrutiny for the district.
Broward’s school system has already been under pressure over enrollment, school utilization and resource allocation, making the $878,000 figure especially sensitive for taxpayers. Even a technical reporting mistake matters when it affects state money. If attendance numbers were overstated or otherwise misreported, the district could have received funding it was not entitled to keep, turning what looks like paperwork trouble into a direct budget issue for Broward residents.
The matter also landed in front of school board members during a workshop and special meeting on April 28, 2026. Broward County Public Schools maintains an attendance dashboard and a district audit reports page, and the School Board of Broward County, Florida, has an Audit Committee, all signs that attendance and financial controls are already part of formal oversight. The district also issued its 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report signed by Superintendent Howard Hepburn and Chief Financial Officer Romaneir D. Johnson, underscoring that finance leadership is in place as the district faces the repayment question.
Florida Department of Education guidance says district Annual Financial Reports are unaudited data submitted by districts and include revenue and expenditures, which is why attendance reporting problems can have downstream financial consequences. For Broward, the immediate issue is not just the size of the potential repayment. It is where the breakdown happened, whether it was isolated or systemic, and what safeguards will be used to keep attendance records from becoming another budget liability.
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