ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Public Schools has confirmed it will make additional budget reductions following a continued decline in student enrollment and rising healthcare costs.
In a message to employees on Wednesday, the district said its 10-day enrollment count confirmed that enrollment has continued to decrease. Because state funding is largely based on student enrollment, fewer students mean less state funding.
At the same time, OCPS said it is facing increasing healthcare expenses tied to a growing deficit in its Employee Benefits Trust. District officials said each month without changes to the health insurance plan adds about $20 million in costs.
As a result, school budgets and staffing formulas have been recalculated. Schools that enrolled fewer students than projected will see adjustments to their budget allocations.
The district has announced an additional $8.5 million in cuts at the central office level.
According to OCPS, more than 200 district-level positions were eliminated at the end of the last fiscal year, and department budgets have already been reduced by 5% over the past two years.
Channel 9 has reached out about potential layoffs and the broader impact these cuts may have.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
