Rafael Villalobos is the only candidate for Miami-Dade superintendent chosen by all eight active school board members as a semifinalist, according to emails and memos the Miami Herald obtained through a public records request. Jose Bueno, chief of staff to current Superintendent Jose Dotres, was the next-highest pick, with support from four members.
The board holds a special meeting Tuesday, July 22, to narrow the six semifinalists to finalists and set dates for public interviews and a final vote. Board members aim to seat a new superintendent by August, NBC Miami reported. Whoever is chosen will oversee the district that includes Don Soffer Aventura High School and Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High.
Who are the six semifinalists?
Board members each selected up to three names from 21 applicants. Six advanced:
- Rafael Villalobos — Miami-Dade County Public Schools South Region Superintendent since 2022, overseeing more than 80,000 students. A Nova Southeastern University alumnus and South Miami Senior High graduate, his career spans three decades in the district.
- Jose Bueno — MDCPS chief of staff, 33 years in the district, starting as a teacher at Norland Middle in 1993.
- Ernie Lozano — Broward County Public Schools' chief human resources officer.
- Sylvia Mitchell — Former Miami charter school principal and charter school network executive in Texas.
- Carlos Perez — Charter school principal in West Palm Beach and former executive director of the Education Reform Project, a Miami Beach nonprofit.
- Christopher Ruszkowski — Former New Mexico secretary of education, now overseeing Texas state takeovers of a large school district and charter school network.
How each board member voted
Every member named Villalobos. Here's the full breakdown from their memos to district lead attorney Walter Harvey:
- Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall (District 2): Bueno, Villalobos
- Joe Geller (District 3): Lozano, Villalobos
- Roberto Alonso (District 4): Bueno, Ruszkowski, Villalobos
- Danny Espino (District 5): Mitchell, Villalobos
- Mari Tere Rojas, Chair (District 6): Bueno, Lozano, Villalobos
- Mary Blanco (District 7): Perez, Villalobos
- Monica Colucci, Vice Chair (District 8): Lozano, Villalobos
- Luisa Santos (District 9): Bueno, Ruszkowski, Villalobos
The District 1 seat in North Dade is vacant after former member Steve Gallon left for the Miami-Dade County Commission.
What board members said
District 3's Joe Geller wrote in his memo that "familiarity with South Florida is a major plus factor for doing the job of Superintendent." The three candidates with the most board support — Villalobos, Bueno, and Lozano — all have deep South Florida ties.
District 9's Luisa Santos wrote that she wished the pool included "more diversity of lived and professional experience (e.g. qualified women leaders and experience outside of Florida)."
Board Chair Rojas held phone interviews with Bueno, Villalobos, Lozano, Mitchell, and Chicago Public Schools administrator Jeffery Mosley before making her selections.
What comes next
Background checks on all six semifinalists were completed the week of July 14. In his application, Villalobos wrote that if his South Region were recognized as an independent district, "it would have ranked among Florida's largest and highest performing school districts."
The board's Tuesday, July 22, special meeting is the next milestone. Families should watch for finalist announcements and public interview dates to follow.
