Orange County Public Schools to cut $8.5M amid declining enrollment, increasing healthcare costs
OCPS Administration building. (FOX 35 Orlando)
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Orange County Public Schools – the fourth-largest school district in the state – confirmed Wednesday that this year's student enrollment numbers are below what it expected, forcing the district to cut millions more in funding, and potentially staff from its schools.
In a statement to FOX 35, the district said it had recently completed its 10-day enrollment count which showed the district had fewer students than it projected in its classrooms, which would result in less funding from the state.
"As a result, OCPS has recalculated school budgets and staffing formulas based on actual enrollment. Schools with lower-than-projected enrollment will see corresponding budget adjustments," the district said in a statement.
Orange County enrollment numbers
By the numbers:
Here is the enrollment summary for Orange County Public Schools, published on Aug. 24.
Elementary School Enrollment (including VPK)
- 2026: 68,211
- 2025: 72,720
- 2024: 75,797
- 2023: 76,215
Middle School enrollment
- 2026: 35,246
- 2025: 36,785
- 2024: 37,851
- 2023: 38,689
High School enrollment
- 2026: 58,463
- 2025: 60,525
- 2024: 60,128
- 2023: 60,746
Alternative enrollment
- 2026: 2,657
- 2025: 2,704
- 2024: 2,478
- 2023: 2,636
Charter enrollment
- 2026: 18,219
- 2025: 17,997
- 2024: 18,137
- 2023: 16,921
You can view a complete breakdown in the PDF below.
District to cut an additional $8.5 million
The district said it would cut an additional $8.5 million "at the central office level." However, the statement did not elaborate on what those cuts would involve.
Healthcare costs $20 million a month
The district said rising healthcare costs with the Employee Benefits Trust are also impacting the district's budget, putting the cost at $20 million a month.
What they're saying:
"While these decisions are difficult, our priority remains protecting classroom instruction, supporting students, and preserving essential services whenever possible," said Superintendent Maria F. Vazquez. "These actions are necessary to maintain the District's financial stability and ensure we can continue serving students and families for years to come."
OCPS closed schools, cut budgets and staff ahead of the 2026 school year
The backstory:
Ahead of the 2026 school year, Orange County Public Schools closed seven schools, cut staff, and eliminated more than 200 district-level positions to address budget concerns amid declining enrollment.
The district said none of the seven schools were at full capacity, and closing them would save the district roughly $10 million.
District officials blamed declining birth rates, changes to federal immigration policies, an aging population, and the growing number of Family Empowerment Scholarships.
The Source: Orange County Public Schools issued a news release on its 2026 enrollment numbers and further budget cuts to FOX 35 News on Sept. 2, 2026. FOX 35 also obtained the current enrollment numbers through Aug. 24, 2026, for the district. FOX 35 has previously covered and reported on how OCPS is dealing with budget shortfalls amid declining enrollment and increasing costs, including the closure of 7 schools.