Miami district narrows superintendent search to six semifinalists as Dotres’ contract nears end

The Miami‑Dade County Public Schools superintendent search has moved to a critical stage that will shape district leadership into next year.

With Jose Dotres’ contract set to expire in February 2027, school board members want a replacement in place by August and have cut more than 20 applicants to a field of six semifinalists, officials said. The board launched the search in April.

Who advanced

The six semifinalists include current district staff and education leaders from inside and outside South Florida. Public profiles released by the district and the candidates’ LinkedIn information show the following semifinalists:

• Jose Bueno — chief of staff for Miami‑Dade County Public Schools with roughly 33 years in the district; began as a teacher in 1993 and holds degrees from Florida International University and Nova Southeastern University.
• Ernie Lozano — Broward County Public Schools chief human resources officer and former teacher and assistant principal; noted for work on safety and security initiatives.
• Sylvia Mitchell — executive vice president for Curriculum, Design & Development at Per Scholas; former superintendent in Texas and ex‑principal at Charter Schools USA in Fort Lauderdale.
• Carlos Perez — charter school principal in West Palm Beach and former executive director of the Education Reform Project, a Miami Beach‑based nonprofit.

The district has not yet released the names of all six semifinalists in the public materials reviewed for this story. The board will continue vetting the pool ahead of interviews and public meetings later this summer.

What this means for Miami families

Selection of the next superintendent will influence policies ranging from classroom instruction and curriculum decisions to budget priorities and student safety measures. The board’s stated timeline aims to have a leader in place well before Dotres’ contract expiration, giving the new superintendent time to prepare for the 2027‑28 school year.

"The board started the search in April," officials said in district materials outlining the process.

Next steps in the process

Board members will continue to evaluate semifinalists, hold interviews and seek community input before naming finalists. Public meetings and additional background checks are expected as the process advances.

Parents, teachers and community members who want to follow the search should monitor school board announcements and public meeting schedules for opportunities to review candidates and offer feedback.