Miami-Dade school board picks longtime MDCPS administrator as new superintendent

Miami-Dade has its new superintendent of public schools.

After public interviews were held Wednesday between two finalists, the Miami-Dade school board unanimously selected current South Region Superintendent Rafael Villalobos to lead the district.

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The decision caps a months-long search process, which drew 21 applications from across the country, including from administrators in some of the nation’s biggest districts.

Ultimately, the board went with a familiar face in Villalobos, 54. He’s led MDCPS’ South Region, covering more than 80,000 students, since 2022. Villalobos began his career in the district in 1994, and has worked there for 27 years.

Villalobos was a finalist alongside Ernie Lozano, the chief human resources officer for Broward County Public Schools. Both candidates sat for a nearly hour-long public interview with all eight board members.

The Miami-Dade native will replace Superintendent Jose Dotres, whose contract is scheduled to end Feb. 14, 2027. Dotres was hired in 2022 to replace Alberto Carvalho.

The board’s decision to name Villalobos superintendent marks the third consecutive hire with deep administrative roots in the Miami-Dade school system. Dotres was once Carvalho’s chief of staff, and Carvalho was an assistant superintendent before taking the top job.

Villalobos received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Nova Southeastern University. He is a doctoral candidate at Florida International University.

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The administrator was principal of several schools in the county system. He made history as the first principal to lead two high schools at the same time, Booker T. Washington Senior High and Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial High in 2009 and 2010.

Villalobos was named principal of the year in 2020, when he led John A. Ferguson Senior High.

In his interview with the board, Villalobos addressed issues like enrollment decline, reading proficiency, school safety, curriculum, achievement gaps and more.

Villalobos expressed a desire to play an active public-facing role as superintendent, and also to tackle the issues facing the district – enrollment decline and resulting financial pressures chief among them – head on. He also stressed his deep familiarity with the district, its schools and the communities it serves.

“I’m ready on day one. I’ve been doing this work with efficacy, with love, compassion, with determination. I’ve never stopped,” Villalobos said.

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