In Miami-Dade, the first day of school also starts the district’s campaign for a $1.2 billion bond referendum. The School Board will put the question before voters in November, to borrow up to $1.2 billion in bonds in order to upgrade crumbling schools and modernize school technology. The money would be repaid with property-tax revenue.

At Hialeah Senior High, students skipped a mini-traffic jam near the campus and walked up to the school.

Their first sight: recently pressure-cleaned stairs and a fresh coat of blue paint on the doors.

While the school got spruced up for the new year, Hialeah High is one of the many schools in Miami-Dade that is in desperate need of capital improvements.

“As one of the oldest schools in the county, Hialeah High should be included in the proposal of buildings to be refurbished,” said Alexander Santoyo, assistant principal. “We want the students to have to same opportunities as other students attending newer schools.”

The 58-year old school is especially lacking in technological advancements.

“It’s not even about having the latest technology,” said Daniel Reyes, a student at the school. “We don’t even have enough computers for students to use on a regular basis.”

This year, Hialeah High had enough funds to paint the classroom doors, fix the tiles in one of the buildings and put together a new computer lab.

Ada Nunez, a parent and teacher at Hialeah Senior, said despite a new computer lab, they still are lacking. “There wasn’t enough money to buy new desks for the new lab,” she said, adding, “but the school tries to do the best it can with what it has.”

On Monday, students saw the grand reopening of North Dade Middle, a school that had to be evacuated two years ago because of safety concerns. The campus opened its doors with a brand new building.

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