The education that shaped me: Finding a new Miami-Dade superintendent is personal | Opinion

I am a proud product of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS). My journey from local classrooms to a career in global law and civic leadership was shaped by many educators in this district. Like so many Miamians, I owe my professional foundation to MDCPS.

Today, I write not only as an alumnus, but as a member of the business community that believes wholeheartedly in this basic principle: The strength of our economy and the resilience of our civic fabric depend on the quality of our schools.

As Superintendent Jose Dotres prepares to retire after more than four decades of distinguished public service, the Miami-Dade School Board faces a defining moment. The decision it makes in the coming months will be among the most consequential leadership choices for Miami’s next generation.

The scale of our challenges and the promise of our future demand a transparent, high-integrity search for a transformational leader. Miami deserves a process that invites the community in and produces a superintendent with both the mandate and the vision to lead.

With a $7.4 billion budget, more than 40,000 employees and about 330,000 students, MDCPS is not simply a school district. It is one of the largest employers and one of the most complex organizations in Florida, and leading it requires exceptional executive leadership.

We are grateful to the superintendent for his decades of dedication and commitment to the highest standards. As we look ahead, we must confront where our students still face challenges, starting with literacy. Today, four in 10 district and public charter students cannot read at grade level. Ensuring every child reads at or above grade level is not just an educational goal. It is an economic imperative for Miami’s future workforce.

At the same time, Miami-Dade’s public schools have changed. Since the early 2000s, enrollment in district-run public schools has declined by over 100,000 students even as the district continues to operate more than 350 schools. Stewarding an organization of this size requires a leader capable of aligning facilities, staffing and resources with today’s economic realities, while keeping students and classrooms at the center of every decision.

The next superintendent must be more than an accomplished educator. Miami needs a visionary executive who can drive innovation across a portfolio of district, magnet and public charter schools, elevate student outcomes and manage complex operations with fiscal discipline. Just as important, this leader must unite parents, educators and the business community around a shared, high-integrity vision that earns and sustains public trust.

To attract a world-class leader, the search itself must be world class. The School Board has an opportunity to model the excellence we expect from our students by conducting a rigorous, transparent and inclusive process that gives parents, students and civic leaders a meaningful voice. Public confidence is the foundation of effective leadership, and a search conducted with transparency will ensure the next superintendent begins with the support of the community.

Every child, regardless of ZIP code, deserves the same foundation I was given. Let’s choose a superintendent who can make that promise real. The business community, including the Partnership for Miami where I am a founding board member, stands ready to support this effort. Our students, our workforce and our future depend on it.

Jaret L. Davis is senior vice president of Greenberg Traurig, P.A., and co-managing shareholder of the Miami office, a board member of the Partnership for Miami and a proud graduate of Miami Killian High School.