These Miami-Dade schools face ‘review’ or ‘reassessment.’ Could closure be next?

The Miami-Dade school district’s Attendance Boundary Committee is closely monitoring 27 more public schools for potential closure,d Tuesday.

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The committee released a list of 12 “reassessed” schools and 15 schools that are “under review,” possibly indicating that the schools could close. This summer, the board approved the closure or consolidation of nine different public school campuses as the district continues to face declining enrollment at traditional public schools.

Given lower enrollment, the district has had to tighten its budget because fewer students means less per-pupil money coming from the state. The district’s last official count in February had traditional public school membership around 232,000; with charter schools added, the total was about 319,000. So far this year, the district reported about 301,000 total students enrolled in the first three days of school.

The long list of “reassessed” and “under review” schools was posted to social media before it was officially released, raising alarm among teachers and community members that their school may not exist by this time next year.

Between the two categories, the definition for “reassessed” makes a school closure appear more likely. Though it may not necessarily close, a “there will be an impact to the school in its present form.”

“Reassessment indicates that a decision has been made to align with the district’s long-term strategic goals and capital plan,” t reads.

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The “under review” category is more broad, with a committee document stating plainly that it does not equate to an automatic future closure.

“A school may remain as it is, stay under review, receive added programs or support, or become part of a future recommendation. The outcome depends on the full review and public process,” the statement reads.

The Herald reached out to the school district for comment and did not immediately receive a response.

Both current Superintendent Jose Dotres and his incoming replacement, South Region Superintendent Rafael Villalobos, have indicated that a faster pace of closures is necessary for the district moving forward.

The schools listed as “reassessed” stretch all across Dade County. All 12 of them have “utilization rates” of 50% or less, according to a state calculation from last school year of how much of the building’s capacity is being used. The “under review” list includes many schools below 50% as well as a few with higher utilization rates.

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Here’s a list of those schools and their corresponding utilization rates:

“Reassessed” schools

• Brentwood Elementary, 36%
• Carol City Middle, 40%
• Golden Glades Elementary, 44%
• Lake Stevens Elementary, 47%
• Myrtle Grove Elementary, 19%
• Lorah Park Elementary, 36%
• Paul L. Dunbar K-8 Center, 42%
• Center for International Education (CIE), 35%
• Greenglade Elementary, 47%
• Hammocks Middle, 32%
• Kendale Elementary, 45%
• Village Green Elementary, 50%

“Under review” schools

• Natural Bridge Elementary, 49%
• North County K-8 Center, 47%
• North Dade Middle, 21%
• Emerson Elementary, 48%
• Lillie C Evans K-8 Center, 36%
• Ludlam Elementary, 54%
• Kelsey L. Pharr Elementary, 72%
• Orchard Villa Elementary, 33%
• Gloria Floyd Elementary, 42%
• Lamar Louise Curry Middle, 67%
• Marjory Stoneman Douglas Elementary, 45%
• Olympia Heights, 47%
• Riviera Middle / Tropical Elementary, 45% / 36%
• South Miami Heights Elementary, 58%