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School Board to explore partnership with South Florida Autism charter to reopen Country Club site
Summary
The board approved a directive to explore a partnership with the district-managed South Florida Autism Charter School to expand autism services at the former Country Club Middle School site; supporters cited waiting lists and state funding while union leaders urged district-run options.
The Miami-Dade County School Board on Aug. 12 voted to explore strategic partnerships with the South Florida Autism Charter School (SFACS) to expand specialized services at the former Country Club Middle School facility.
Board Member Alonzo, sponsor of H11, said the district faces a local demand for autism-centered schooling and described SFACS as a district-managed charter that has previously operated at the Country Club site. "This partnership will help close that gap, offering families local access to high-quality autism-centered education," Alonzo said, citing state investments to support expansion.
Speakers were split. Antonio White, president of United Teachers of Dade, opposed the idea of providing a district property to a charter operator and urged the district to expand such services through district-run schools staffed by district employees. In contrast, Glenn Pierce, speaking as a parent and representative of the charter, described SFACS as accretive to district finances and said the school brought additional state funding and capacity for high-need students.
Alonzo said the partnership would repurpose an underused building, meet a community need, and potentially bring revenue back to the district through managed-lease arrangements. The board voted to approve exploring the partnership; the vote authorized district staff to study options and report back with recommendations.
