The person who will oversee Coral Gables Senior High, Miami Palmetto Senior High and every public school in the area will be chosen July 29, when the Miami-Dade School Board holds public interviews and a final vote on two superintendent finalists.

Board Advances Two Finalists After Special Meeting

At a special meeting July 22, the board voted to advance Rafael Villalobos, the district's south region superintendent, and Ernie Lozano, Broward County Public Schools' chief human resources officer. The July 29 session is the last scheduled opportunity for public input before a superintendent is named.

Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas, a third-term member representing District 6 (Coral Gables, South Miami, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove), convened the July 22 session. Rojas, an educator with more than 45 years of experience, posted on X that the meeting covered the district's "comprehensive integrity-based selection and appointment process" for its next leader.

How the Board Voted

Villalobos received "yes" votes from all eight participating board members. Lozano advanced on a 6-2 vote, with District 2 member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall and District 4 member Roberto Alonso voting no. The District 1 seat is vacant after former member Steve Gallon left for the Miami-Dade County Commission, leaving eight members to vote.

Alonso pushed to add Deputy Superintendent Michael Lewis, who did not apply, as a third finalist. No board member seconded his motion.

District 9 member Luisa Santos said she wanted more public involvement in the process. "At this point, the public has not seen any of the candidates respond to public questions," Santos said at the July 22 meeting. "I would have liked to see a greater number of finalists answering questions in front of the public."

Who the Finalists Are

Villalobos began his career at South Dade Senior High as a teacher in 1994, served as principal at four schools and returned to Miami-Dade County Public Schools in 2015 as principal of John A. Ferguson Senior High before being promoted to south region superintendent in 2022. He holds degrees from Nova Southeastern University and is a doctoral candidate at Florida International University. In his cover letter, he pledged "fiscal responsibility ... without compromising the strength of our educational foundation."

Lozano started as a fourth grade teacher in Broward County in 1998, rose to principal of James S. Hunt Elementary in Coral Springs and has served as Broward's chief human resources officer since July 2025. He grew up in Miami's West Little River community and holds a doctorate from Florida Atlantic University. His cover letter highlighted experience coordinating workforce reductions, including when Broward cut 1,000 positions in the past school year.

What's at Stake for the District

The new superintendent will replace Jose Dotres, whose contract ends Feb. 14, 2027. Dotres was hired in January 2022 after Alberto Carvalho's departure.

The district faces steep enrollment losses. Traditional public school enrollment dropped from 326,279 to 313,220 students between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, according to board records. For 2026-27, the district projects enrollment will fall further to about 217,100 as voucher use rises to an estimated 82,500 students. The district cut $89 million from its $7.4 billion budget mid-year and plans another $63 million in cuts for the coming school year.

The board will interview both finalists and cast its final vote July 29.