What's New in Miami-Dade County Public Schools This Year: A Parent's Guide to 2026–2027
Arianna Garcia
1. There's a New Superintendent
Rafael Villalobos took over as superintendent of M-DCPS on September 1, replacing Dr. José Dotres. He was chosen unanimously by the School Board in July and has spent more than three decades in the district. He started as a teacher at South Dade Senior High, then served as principal at four schools before becoming South Region Superintendent.
His first move made headlines: he paused the review of 27 schools being considered for closure or consolidation, citing the need to clear up misinformation and communicate better with families.
What this means for you: If your child's school was on that preliminary list, nothing is decided. Watch for district communication and School Board meeting agendas this fall.
2. Free Breakfast and Lunch Are No Longer Automatic for Everyone
This is the change that will hit the most households, and a lot of families still don't know about it.
For the past four years, every M-DCPS student ate free under the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The district no longer qualifies districtwide. The share of "directly certified" students fell from about 64% four years ago to roughly 45% this year.
How it works now:
- 121 schools still offer free breakfast and lunch to every student. No application needed at those schools.
- At every other school, families must apply to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
- Breakfast stays free for all K-8 students districtwide. Middle and senior high breakfast is $2.50 ($0.30 reduced).
- Lunch is $4.20 at full price ($0.40 reduced).
- Students already certified through SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, foster care, Head Start, migrant services, or homeless assistance are covered automatically, with no application needed.
The deadline you cannot miss: Students at non-CEP schools ate free for the first 30 days of school. Starting September 28, any student at a non-CEP school without an approved application gets charged full price. Apply at mdcpsnutrition.net. Payments run through PayPAMS.com.
That's about $21 a week for elementary lunch, or $33.50 a week for a middle or high schooler eating both meals. Worth ten minutes of your time.
3. Phone Rules Are Tighter
Florida law now bans phone use "bell to bell" for all elementary and middle school students statewide. That means the entire school day, including lunch and passing periods. Not just during class.
High school rules are still set at the district level, and phones remain off-limits during instructional time unless a teacher specifically permits use for a lesson. M-DCPS is applying the updated policy across all district schools this year.
Exceptions exist for documented medical needs and for students whose IEP or 504 plan requires a device.
What this means for you: Assume you cannot text your child during the school day. If you need to reach them, call the front office. Talk through the plan with your child now rather than after the first confiscated phone.
4. The Testing Calendar: FAST, EOCs, and What's Actually New
Florida still uses FAST, the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, three times a year instead of one big spring test. Here are the 2026-2027 windows:
| Assessment | Window |
|---|---|
| PM1, Grades K-2 ELA & Math | August 3 - September 25, 2026 |
| PM1, Grades 3-10 ELA Reading, 3-8 Math | August 10 - September 25, 2026 |
| Fall EOCs (Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology 1, Civics, U.S. History) | September 8 - October 2, 2026 |
| PM2, Grades 3-10 ELA, 3-8 Math | November 30, 2026 - January 22, 2027 |
| PM3, Grades 3-10 ELA, 3-8 Math |
May 3 - 28, 2027 |
Your school picks the exact days inside each window. Ask the teacher instead of guessing.
A few things worth knowing:
- K-2 uses Renaissance Star (Star Early Literacy, Star Reading, Star Math), administered three times a year. A kindergartner or first grader who scores 852 on Star Early Literacy can move up to Star Reading at the next window.
- PM3 runs a little longer than PM1 and PM2 because it includes embedded field-test items. Not a sign anything is wrong.
- PM3 is the one with stakes. For third graders, the spring ELA result is what drives promotion decisions, with good-cause exemptions available. If your third grader scored low on PM1, you have the entire year to change that outcome. This is the moment to act, not April.
- New this year: the FACT U.S. History pilot. Florida is running a limited pilot in 2026-27, with statewide rollout planned for 2027-28. Only selected schools are enrolling students. Students who score high enough are expected to earn Florida public college credit for AMH 2010 and AMH 2020. If your high schooler is in a participating school, ask how it would transfer if they're considering out-of-state colleges.
Statewide results are moving in the right direction: about 61% of students in grades 3-10 hit Level 3 or above in FAST ELA in 2026 (up from 57%), and 62% in grades 3-8 math (up from 59%).
5. Enrollment Is Down, and It Affects Your School
M-DCPS projected a decline of roughly 6,800 to 8,000 students this year, on top of a drop of more than 12,000 the year before. Since state funding follows enrollment, this drives the budget, and the closure conversations along with it.
What this means for you: Fewer students at a campus can mean fewer electives, fewer arts and music offerings, and larger conversations about consolidation. It's also why magnet and choice programs are competing harder than ever for your family.
6. Dates to Put on the Fridge
- First day: August 13, 2026
- Last day: June 3, 2027
- Wednesday early release: Students in grades 2-5 at elementary schools and grades 2-8 at K-8 centers are dismissed one hour early every Wednesday
- Thanksgiving recess: November 23-27, 2026
- Winter recess: December 21, 2026 - January 1, 2027
- Second semester begins: January 19, 2027
- Spring recess: March 22-26, 2027
- Holidays: Labor Day (Sept 7), Veterans Day (Nov 11), MLK Day (Jan 18), Presidents Day (Feb 15), Memorial Day (May 31)
- Longest stretch with no day off: March 30 - May 28, 2027. Forty-four straight school days. Plan accordingly.
Hurricane makeup days are built into the calendar, so a storm closure doesn't automatically extend the year.
7. Magnet and VPK Applications Open This Fall
M-DCPS magnet applications for the following school year typically open October 1 and close January 15, submitted through the Admissions tile in the Parent Portal at dadeschools.net. The district offers more than 350 programs across 11 themes, including aerospace, artificial intelligence, music, and health sciences.
Selection is a computerized random lottery, except for visual and performing arts programs that require an audition. Even if the magnet school is inside your attendance boundary, you still have to apply.
Watch the district announcement for this year's exact window, and don't wait until January 14.
The Bottom Line
Three action items before the end of September:
- Apply for meal benefits if your school isn't on the CEP list. The September 28 cutoff is real.
- Ask your child's teacher for PM1 results once the window closes September 25. Early data is the whole point of progress monitoring.
- Mark October 1 for magnet applications if you're considering a program change.
Most families miss these deadlines simply because nobody put the dates in front of them. Now you have them.
A low PM1 score is early information, and early information is the whole point of testing three times a year. If your child's results came back lower than you hoped, there are eight months left to change the picture. That's the work we do.
Sources: Miami-Dade County Public Schools (dadeschools.net), Florida Department of Education Statewide Assessment Schedule 2026-2027, M-DCPS School Board agenda item on 2026-2027 meal pricing, WLRN, Local 10, Doral Family Journal.