Miami-Dade County Public Schools is reporting one of its lowest enrollment figures in recent history for the 2024–25 school year.
In just the first nine days of school, the district has enrolled 313,220 students. Last year, that number was 326,279. The difference of 13,059 students marks a significant decline.
Superintendent Jose Dotres says the drop will have financial consequences.
“We’re gonna have to reduce our hourly personnel, we’re going to put a stop and minimize overtime, we are not going to approve travel that impacts our general fund. And anything related to that, we are basically going to have to really restrict to sustain the staffing that we were able to create at the beginning of the year,” Dotres said.
The district says 2,899 students were withdrawn at the start of the year to attend private schools. Another 423 students left for charter schools, though 272 later returned.
Fewer new students and no-shows
Officials also point to a decrease in new student enrollment—down 5,346 compared to the same time last year. Dotres attributes the decline to three factors: lower birth rates, families leaving South Florida, and fewer new students entering the country.
“It definitely can be a correlation with less immigration into our country,” Dotres said.
School Board member Steve Gallon echoed that sentiment, citing immigration reform as a contributing factor.
“Definitely, immigration is having an impact as a result of foreign-born families that are coming here. No secret, a priority of this administration,” Gallon said.
Classroom priorities remain unchanged
The district, which serves a large Caribbean population, says student learning will not be affected.
“Our budget will always keep the classroom teaching and learning a priority, full stop,” Gallon said.
Dotres stopped short of naming specific communities with the largest enrollment drops but said consolidation and repurposing of under-enrolled and under-resourced schools is being considered.
