Miami-Dade presents initial attendance-zone recommendations; final vote set for June 18

The School Board of Miami-Dade County on April 16 received the initial reading of proposed attendance boundary changes and related policy updates for the 2025–26 school year, including targeted and advised status designations and school reconfigurations across the South, Central and North regions.

The proposals, presented by ABC (Attendance Boundary Committee) and regional superintendents, would not be effective until the board’s final reading and vote at the June 18 meeting. The district emphasized that today’s action was an initial reading and that community input remains part of the process.

Why it matters: attendance-boundary changes affect where students attend school, transportation, program access and neighborhood capacity. The district said it undertook outreach earlier this year than in the past, with ABC orientations in October, multiple community meetings in January and streaming of meetings to broaden access.

Key proposals and impacts

- South and Central region summaries: The Central Region presentation covered new proposed boundaries that would affect Poinciana (also spelled Ponceanna in presentation slides), Charles Drew K–8 Center, Lily C. Evans K–8 and Liberty City Elementary. The slides showed area-by-area reassignments for kindergarten through fourth graders: Area A would move 44 K–4 students to Lily C. Evans K–8; Area B would move 36 K–4 students to Liberty City Elementary; Area C would move 24 K–4 students to Charles Drew K–8. Brownsville Middle School would continue as the traditional middle school for those zones. Staff said demographic shifts at Lily C. Evans show a projected 21% increase in Hispanic students and a 19% decrease in African American students over the next two years, and projected capacity changes were included in the materials.

- North Region: Region staff proposed converting Palm Springs North Elementary to a full K–8 center in response to parent interest and enrollment trends. Presenters said Palm Springs North had its first sixth-grade class this year (95 students), held middle-school fairs that yielded additional registrations, and projects Palm Springs North K–8 enrollment to grow to about 1,589 students and utilization to reach roughly 99% over the coming years. The North Region also proposed dissolving Country Club Middle School’s boundary and combining it with Lawton Chiles Middle School’s boundary: under that plan, rising seventh and eighth graders residing in the existing Country Club boundary would be assigned to Lawton Chiles; roughly 88 rising seventh/eighth graders currently attending Country Club and living in the area would move to Lawton Chiles, and about 251 rising sixth graders residing in the area would be assigned to Lawton Chiles. Staff said enrollment trends indicate Country Club retains a smaller percentage of its rising sixth graders compared with Lawton Chiles.

- Targeted/advised designations: The South and Central presentations also listed several schools on advised or targeted status for reasons including declining enrollment and available student stations. Examples named in the Central Region included Robert Ruskin Moulton Elementary and Pine Villa Elementary (advised), and Poinciana Park Elementary and Lily C. Evans K–8 as sites with recommended boundary changes.

Community engagement and next steps

District leaders described a revised process intended to bring engagement earlier in the timeline. The superintendent and region staff said the district will hold open houses, site tours and family outreach to help students and parents acclimate to proposed reassignments. Staff said some affected families already use choice processes and that existing school choice options were considered when estimating reassigned students — for example, presenters said several students who live in Poinciana Park’s boundary already attend Charles Drew and Liberty City.

The board took no final action on these recommendations at the April 16 session; the materials were presented as an initial reading and staff said the final reading and vote on attendance zone recommendations will occur on June 18. Board members asked for additional detail on student choice pathways, supports for students moved between schools, and staff placement strategies for teachers affected by consolidations.

Ending: The district’s ABC process — in its 44th year, staff said — will continue collecting public input before the June 18 final reading. Community meetings, region follow-up and district-led acclimation activities are planned to support any students and families reassigned by the changes.