On the first day of school, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres said Thursday that last school year's dramatic enrollment decline of 12,000 students was a one-off and he doesn't anticipate a sequel.
" I think moving forward, we have more of a stabilized understanding of what enrollment will look like moving forward," Dotres said. "It was last year that really made a difference."
Dotres said the biggest factor contributing to the plunge is the lack of families and students moving to the county from abroad, what the district labels a "newcomer" student.
The average number of newcomers entering the district in the last three years ranged from 14,000 to 22,000. In the 2025-26 school year, the district enrolled just 3,200.
"We've declined in enrollment, but this was almost like the perfect storm or Hurricane Andrew. We had never experienced a 12,000- student loss in just one year," Dotres said.
When Miami-Dade's Dotres spoke to media on Thursday, he didn't have a first-day count, but he said they'll have figures in the coming days.
In Broward County, there were 11,000 fewer students on Monday's first day of school compared to last year's first day, superintendent Howard Hepburn said. Broward County Public Schools has also been confronting a rapid fall in enrollment numbers.
Dwindling enrollment means a smaller budget for the district. The 11,000 fewer students in Broward equates to about $100 million less in state funding. The district's enrollment analysis for the 2026-27 year predicted 5,000 fewer students — meaning the district's predictions were off by some 6,000 students.
READ MORE: First day of school in Broward sees enrollment drop by 11,000 students
One factor in falling enrollment may be President Trump's aggressive deportation agenda. His administration ended Temporary Protected Status, TPS, for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan and, most recently, Haitian immigrants.
Immigration advocates say families with TPS holders may be apprehensive of sending their children to school in fear of deportation.
Dotres said the district is ensuring schools "provide outreach resources for those parents" and the district is paying extra close attention to school located in neighborhoods with large Haitian communities.
Last first day of school
Dotres, who is wrapping up his time as superintendent, visited Miami Springs Preparatory Academy 6-12, Venetian Parc Academy and Miami Senior High, his alma mater, on Thursday. Rafael Villalobos was named last month as the new superintendent.
Speaking to media at Miami Senior High, Dotres said the first day was " really smooth" and "exceptional."
He doesn't plan to fully retire from education.
" I'm retiring from this wonderful school district, but I'm not retiring," he said. "I have plenty of, I believe, energy, plenty of desire and just a passion to continue working in whatever way I can to help enjoy or make sure that I contribute to what public schools will look like in the future."
