Text messages from Miami-Dade County Public Schools will look different on your phone starting Wednesday, Aug. 5. The district is replacing its old five-digit short code with local 10-digit numbers for mass outreach texts, a change that could cause families to miss back-to-school messages if they don't save the new contacts.
For Coral Gables, South Miami and Pinecrest families, two numbers matter:
- 305-939-0950 — Districtwide messages, including school bus notifications
- 305-939-0946 — Central Region Schools, which includes Coral Gables Senior High, West Laboratory School and other area campuses
Save both now.
The district posted the change on the West Laboratory School website on Aug. 3, giving families two days' notice before the switch took effect.
Why M-DCPS Is Moving Away From Its Old Short Code
According to the district's notice, its mass communications vendor, Finalsite, is moving away from short codes in favor of local 10-digit numbers, citing industry best practices. The notice states that local numbers are more familiar and trusted by recipients, which improves message delivery and recognition.
Previously, outreach texts arrived from the short code 97178. That number is now retired for nonemergency messages.
Emergency Alerts and Voice Calls Won't Change
Emergency notifications, including severe weather closures, lockdowns and other urgent alerts, will still arrive from the existing short code 54968. That number is not changing.
Recorded voice messages, such as school closure alerts and attendance calls, will also continue to come from district or school phone numbers, as they always have. Federal regulations require separate numbers for mass text and voice communications.
Save These Numbers Before the First Day of School
Save both 305-939-0950 and 305-939-0946 in your phone contacts. Without them saved, texts from the district may go unrecognized in the days before school starts.
The first day of school for M-DCPS is Thursday, Aug. 13. Multiple schools across the district, including Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School and John A. Ferguson Senior High, have posted their own alerts about the transition in early August.
