Orange County Public Schools says enrollment is down - about 18,000 students fewer than the 209,000 students projected for the year.
In a video message posted on the OCPS YouTube channel last Friday, superintendent Barbara Jenkins said principals, teachers and social workers are working to find the students the district was expecting.
“I want to encourage parents, guardians, family members who are aware of a change in location of one of our students, to reach out to their school. I also want to assure our entire community that OCPS is not on the brink of laying off large numbers of employees,” said Jenkins.
“While our enrollment is short of projections, the commissioner of education’s emergency order provides funding based upon our July projected enrollment. Funding shortfalls may have an impact on school districts in the future, perhaps after the new year, but currently there will be no cuts.”
Orange County Public Schools is the eighth largest school district in the country and the fourth largest in Florida. The district is also one of the county's largest employers, with about 25,000 employees.
Meanwhile the school district is reporting 72 coronavirus cases in students and staff.
As of Tuesday they had 54 cases in 34 schools and 4 work locations. On Friday OCPS added a further 18 cases at 16 schools.
The Department of Health has issued 373 quarantine letters to individuals at schools around the district.
Jenkins said the school district is working on a website to provide updates on coronavirus cases.