MIAMI — The search for the next leader of the third largest school district in the country has reached the finish line.
Earlier on Wednesday, the two final candidates for Miami-Dade Schools superintendent were working to convince the school board that they’re the best person for the job.
They are Ernie Lozano, the Broward County Public Schools Chief Human Resources Officer; and Rafael Villalobos, the Miami-Dade School District’s South Region Superintendent.
After hearing from both candidates, the eight board members unanimously voted for Villalobos to be the county’s next superintendent.
“He is steadfast, he is not afraid to make a tough call, he is not afraid to have a tough conversation, he is not afraid to disagree,” said board member Mary Blanco.
Rained with praise for his grit, determination and experience, Villalobos was chosen to lead the more than 330,000 students who are part of Miami-Dade’s public school system.
He spoke about the first challenges he plans to tackle.
“I think the greatest issue is lower enrollment, and making sure that parents understand that we are your best choice, that they understand that the programs that we have, the teachers that love children and the entire staff are here for them, and that undeniably we have the better programs,” said Villalobos. “They have to entrust in us, they have to know that we are ready to serve them and serve their children.”
He also spoke about taking a close look at the budget to see if he can increase the percentage of funding going toward teacher salaries.
Villalobos began his career as a teacher at South Dade Senior High School in 1994. He later became an assistant principal and then served as principal at four different public schools through 2010.
After spending several years in the private sector, he returned to Miami-Dade County Public Schools in 2015, where he has served in different leadership roles.
Wednesday’s public interviews were part of the selection and appointment process.
Interview questions were submitted by the Office of the General Counsel, with board members each taking a turn reading a question to the candidates.
A finalist was required to receive five affirmative votes from school board members in order to move forward in the appointment process.
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