It’s back-to-school day in Miami-Dade County

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County Public School students return to class on Thursday for the new 2024-25 school year.

Hundreds of yellow school buses with new technology started to flow early out of the massive parking lots in southwest and northwest Miami-Dade.

Drivers should expect traffic flow changes, as some 34,700 district employees and over 337,100 students return to more than 520 schools.

The new tech will be in search of bad drivers. The active school zone’s 15 mph speed limit will be enforced with a detection system and the school buses’ stop rules with AI cameras.

M-DCPS Superintendent Jose L. Dotres visited Miami Edison Senior High School, 6161 NW 5 Court, in Miami’s Little Haiti. He met with students arriving to class and greeted James Dominique, the school’s principal.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel warned that many crashes happen while novice teen drivers go to and from school. Hence, parents must remind them to avoid driving while eating, drinking, talking on the phone, or reading and writing text messages.

MDFR personnel also asked students walking or riding bicycles to wear bright colors, use the buddy system, and avoid distractions such as headphones, phones, or Gameboys so they can stay aware of their surroundings and look out for suspicious cars and people.

Some schools went the extra mile to make their students feel welcome.

The Gator band performed near the Barbara Goleman Senior High School’s main entrance, at 14100 NW 89 Ave., in Miami Lakes.

The Lady Vikings cheerleaders welcomed students back to Miami Norland Senior High School, at 1193 NW 193 St., in Miami Gardens.

To fight childhood hunger, M-DCPS is starting a meal program at about 295 schools to benefit students enrolled in after-school programs.

For more information about issues on the first day of school, call 305-995-4357, send a text message to 1-844-908-1674, or visit this page.

For more information about the schools and programs in your neighborhood, visit this M-DCPS page.

WEATHER AND TRAFFIC

Local 10 News Weather Authority meteorologists warned the morning drop-off will be hot and dry, and there will be afternoon rain.

Local 10 News traffic reporters followed the early morning congestion on Interstate 95 southbound and The Dolphin Expressway.

There were delays at about 9 a.m., on the Palmetto Expressway southbound lanes and I-95 northbound after a crash near Northwest 135 Street.

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