Nine days before the first day of school, the man who oversaw Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay schools just told families two things: teachers here are among the worst-paid in the country, and he wants their vote to fix it.

Incoming Miami-Dade Superintendent Rafael Villalobos, in his first sit-down interview since being appointed, said the district ranks 50th nationally in teacher salary and called on voters to pass a referendum to boost pay. He also made a direct appeal to immigrant families to enroll their children in public schools, promising district support regardless of what happens outside campus walls.

"Ari, no doubt, it's very difficult, I mean, what, we're 50th in the country in teacher salary?" Villalobos told NBC6's Ari Odzer on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at South Miami Senior High School, his alma mater.

The ranking is confirmed by National Education Association data released in April: Florida's average teacher salary of $56,663 places it last among all 50 states and Washington, D.C. for the third consecutive year. The national average is roughly $74,495. In Miami-Dade specifically, average salaries fall in the $50,000 to $57,000 range, with entry-level pay starting in the mid-$30,000s to low $40,000s, according to Islander News reporting.

No referendum date or ballot language has been announced. But the urgency was clear: adjusted for inflation, Florida teacher pay has fallen 12.4% over the past decade.

On July 29, the day the school board unanimously appointed him, Villalobos told WLRN he believes "teachers should be raised at top dollar [and] definitely here in Miami because the ability for them to survive without working two and three jobs sometimes is very difficult."

Immigrant families urged to enroll

Villalobos addressed immigrant parents directly, saying the district will protect students on campus.

"What happens outside of the school, we don't have any control over, but if something does happen, we are there for them; we have resources and support systems in place," he said.

The appeal comes as the district grapples with declining enrollment. Miami-Dade had 313,220 students at the start of the 2025-26 school year, down about 13,000 from the prior year. The numbers keep falling. The board voted June 17 to close nine schools because of shrinking headcounts, and Villalobos has called under-enrollment the district's "greatest issue," noting that state funding is tied directly to how many students show up.

Local connection

As South Region superintendent, Villalobos oversaw more than 100 schools and 80,000 students across the area that includes Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay campuses, maintaining a 98% graduation rate. He started his career as a teacher at South Dade Senior High in 1994 and was named Principal of the Year in 2020 while leading John A. Ferguson Senior High in Kendall.

The school board appointed him unanimously on July 29 to succeed retiring Superintendent Jose Dotres, whose contract ends Feb. 14, 2027.

What's next

The first day of school for Miami-Dade County Public Schools is Thursday, Aug. 13. The school board is expected to meet Wednesday, Aug. 19, to discuss salary negotiations and the superintendent transition.