New Miami-Dade County Public Schools, or M-DCPS, Superintendent Rafael Villalobos halted the district's review of 27 under-enrolled schools on Wednesday, his first day on the job.

South Dade, Kendall-Area Schools Among Those Under Review

Several South Dade and Kendall-area campuses are on the list. Villalobos, who started his career as a high school teacher at M-DCPS 32 years ago and most recently served as South Region superintendent, sent a letter to parents saying he would fully review the process and its potential impact on schools. Community sessions at affected campuses will resume in the second week of October, and the entire process will wrap up by December, according to a statement Villalobos posted to social media, the Miami Herald reported.

Committee Flagged 27 Campuses for Reassessment or Review

The district's Attendance Boundary Committee had flagged 27 campuses as either "reassessed" (12 schools, where closure is more likely) or "under review" (15 schools). Letters went home to parents in August.

Utilization Rates Vary Widely Across Flagged Schools

South Dade and Kendall-area schools on the "reassessed" list include Hammocks Middle at 32% utilization, Kendale Elementary at 45% and Greenglade Elementary at 47%. Others in the "under review" category include Riviera Middle (45% utilization), Tropical Elementary (36%) and South Miami Heights Elementary (58%).

Kendale Elementary Parents Rally Against Closure

The pause came the same evening the district held an informational meeting at Kendale Elementary, where parents wearing "Save Kendale Elementary" shirts packed the room. Kendale parent Ruben Cao told NBC 6 on Wednesday: "I challenge anyone to come up with an elementary school that's functioning better than this school."

Villalobos Pledges Personal Review of Each School

Villalobos told the school board he wants to personally review each school's situation before final decisions are made. "I want to make sure that I take a deep dive into all the schools that were on the reassessment list," he told CBS News Miami.

School Board Reacts to the Pause

The board supported the pause but did not take formal action at the Wednesday committee meeting. Board Vice Chair Monica Colucci said, "We are in this predicament because of decisions made by the prior administration." District 4 board member Roberto Alonso warned the district cannot delay. "We will have to consolidate schools this year if we want our district to be financially stable," Alonso said. Board member Luisa Santos noted that schools on the "reassessed" list had already gone through a year of community input.

Pause Doesn't Guarantee Safety for Listed Schools

The pause does not mean the listed schools are safe. Both Villalobos and former Superintendent José Dotres have said more closures are coming. The district already closed nine schools over the summer of 2026 under Dotres.

Enrollment Declines Are Driving the Pressure

Enrollment is driving the pressure. Traditional M-DCPS schools opened Aug. 13 with 215,078 students, down about 15,100 from the prior year and 5,333 below the district's own projections, according to the Miami Herald.

Budget Reflects Deep Cuts Amid Enrollment Losses

The district's $7.36 billion budget for 2026-27 reflects a 3.6% cut in operating expenses and a more than 5% drop in traditional public schools' budget, the Herald reported.

What Comes Next

The district's first official enrollment count, which could affect state per-pupil funding, is set for October.