Miami-Dade Schools weigh nine school closures amid enrollment decline
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Miami-Dade County Public Schools could close up to nine schools ahead of the upcoming school year.
Why it matters: The sharp increase in the number of schools the district is considering underscores its stark enrollment and budget shortfalls.
- Last year, the district proposed boundary changes to 11 schools and repurposed just two.
State of play: Two schools in the district's North Region, three in the Central and four in the South are proposed to close, though some schools would combine with others in certain cases, district officials confirmed.
How it works: Officials propose boundary changes annually to ensure schools are being utilized effectively and meet state requirements.
- Factors considered include enrollment declines, class size mandates, new residential developments and reduction or elimination of racial isolation, among other criteria.
Yes, but: The "ability to conduct a viable education program due to declining enrollment has been the driving force" this year, officials told board members during a recent presentation.
- The district has 313,000 students enrolled this year, about 13,200 fewer than in the 2024-25 school year, a dip attributed to the state's expanded voucher program, WLRN reported.
Zoom in: Here are the proposed closures, by region:
North
- Parkway Elementary and Rainbow Park Elementary would close.
Central
- Lenora B. Smith Elementary would close and combine with Georgia Jones-Ayers Middle to become a K-8 center.
- Miami Springs Middle would close to combine with Miami Springs Senior to become a 6-12 school.
- Phillis Wheatley Elementary would close.
South
- Pine Villa Elementary School would close to combine with Arthur & Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts to form a K-12 school.
- Richmond Heights Middle would close, combining with BioTech 9-12 to become a 6-12 school.
- Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy and Robert Russa Moton Elementary would close.
Zoom out: In neighboring Broward County, the school board agreed in January to close six district schools, also citing declining enrollment, the Sun Sentinel reported.
What's next: The board is set to discuss and finalize the proposed changes in June.