Students at Aventura City of Excellence School, Don Soffer Aventura High School and Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High will walk into classrooms Thursday, Aug. 13, under a stricter cell phone policy, with access to more mental health staff and a handful of new district programs their older siblings never had.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools announced the changes in an Aug. 10 back-to-school release ahead of the district's 2026-27 first day. As we reported Aug. 5, families have already navigated uniform giveaways and meal-benefit deadlines. Here's what's actually new once the bell rings.
Phones stay away
Under the district's "Heads Up, Phones Down" policy, aligned with Florida's HB 1105, elementary and middle school students may not use or display personal devices at any point during the school day. High schoolers at Don Soffer and Mourning may use phones only outside instructional time; during class, devices are allowed solely when a teacher directs it for an educational purpose.
New magnet programs
Two magnet launches headline the district's expanded choice portfolio, which now totals 121 schools and more than 350 programs:
- SpaceHUB at Booker T. Washington Senior High: aerospace, robotics, engineering and manufacturing pathways.
- SportsPLEX at Miami Killian Senior High: sports business, sports medicine, sports technology and sports media.
Neither program is housed at an Aventura campus, but both are open to district students through the magnet application process.
Early childhood and Montessori expansion
PK-3 Sprouts early childhood programs expand to 10 new schools this year, including Greynolds Park Elementary (North Region) and William Lehman Elementary (South Region). Seven schools are adding Reggio/Montessori options for the first time.
Mental health and AI
More than 130 mental health coordinators now serve schools district-wide. Parents can reach the Parent Assistance Line at 305-995-7100, seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The district is also rolling out Google Gemini for Education across all schools, teaching students to use AI tools for creativity and problem-solving. Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Dotres addressed the tension directly at the Aug. 7 Opening of Schools address: "Technology can provide information but relationships provide meaning," he told staff at Miami Senior High, according to WSVN.
This is Dotres' final school year leading the district; his contract expires in February 2027. The school board unanimously selected Dr. Rafael Villalobos, a 32-year M-DCPS veteran, as the incoming superintendent on July 29.
Meals: check your school's status
M-DCPS is shifting to a hybrid Community Eligibility Provision model. A total of 121 schools will still offer free breakfast and lunch to all students, but families at non-CEP schools must apply at mdcpsnutrition.net. Breakfast remains free for all students at non-CEP elementary schools and K-8 centers. The grace period ends Monday, Sept. 28; after that, students without an approved application pay $4.20 for lunch. Whether ACES, Don Soffer or Mourning fall under CEP has not been confirmed publicly — families should check the CEP list at mdcpsnutrition.net.
Download and go
The updated Dadeschools Mobile App, free on iPhone and Android, now includes real-time bus tracking alongside class schedules, grades and lunch menus. Families can report safety concerns through FortifyFL or by calling 305-995-COPS (2677).
The next actionable deadline: that Sept. 28 meal-application cutoff.
