Broward Schools reverse decision to hold high school graduations in gyms following pushback

Following pushback, Broward County Public Schools decided to rescind its plan to hold most high school graduation ceremonies in school gymnasiums this year.

“Following feedback from School Board members and the community, the revised graduation schedule for the Class of 2026 has been updated. All schools will host their 2026 commencement ceremonies in the same venues as their 2025 ceremonies,” a pop-up on the Broward Schools website said. “Every graduate is guaranteed a minimum of four guest tickets.”

Sixteen schools will have ceremonies at the Broward Center for Performing Arts, 19 at Nova Southeastern University, four at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, and three at Hard Rock Live. Bright Horizons, Cross Creek, Quest Center and Whispering Pines will hold ceremonies on their own campuses.

Members of the school board heard from disappointed students and angry parents earlier this month after learning that only the 11 largest graduation classes would hold ceremonies at rented venues such as Hard Rock Live.

Most of this year’s graduates were set to receive their diplomas in another school’s gym – either Dillard High School, Pompano Beach High School, or Blanche Ely High School. All three have large facilities with chairback seats. 

Hepburn called it a “cost-saving measure.”

“We have the facilities, we haven’t been leveraging them, we’re going to save at minimum, $500,000, and that’s at minimum. We may actually save even more,” he said earlier this month.

Days later, Hepburn said in a memo that the funding was secured “to ensure each school will host its commencement ceremony in the same venue, or a comparable venue, as used in 2025.”