Who Is New Schools Superintendent José Dotres?

Miami FL

26 January, 2022

3:47 PM

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By Gabriela Yero, Miami Times Contributor Jan 25, 2022 Ignoring pleas from residents to slow down the process, Miami-Dade County Public Schools board members have selected José L. Dotres to succeed Alberto Carvalho as the next superintendent, but it will likely be a short stint. The longtime district leader has only two years left before he'll be forced to retire, in accordance with Florida's Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP). Dotres participation in DROP means he'll be able to collect part of his retirement pension and a salary, but only for a limited period of time. That he will continue to live in Broward County rankled enough board members to cause Lubby Navarro, Marta Perez and Christi Fraga to vote against him. Nonetheless, the short-timer was selected after a more than eight-hour meeting in which all three finalists were interviewed publicly. Dotres is currently the deputy superintendent of Collier County Public Schools but formerly worked for M-DCPS for decades as chief human capital officer, chief of staff, chief academic officer and regional superintendent, among other positions. "It truly is an honor to be nominated and selected as superintendent of this wonderful school district," said Dotres after the vote. The other two candidates in the running were Jacob Oliva, senior chancellor of the Florida Department of Education, and Rafaela Espinal, an assistant superintendent for New York City public schools. All three candidates were asked the same nine questions that were submitted online by the community before undergoing hours of questioning from school board members. After more than six hours of interviewing, the board had two nominations for Dotres, two for Oliva and none for Espinal. Dr. Rafaela Espinal (TC.Columbia.edu) Dotres, being first, won over most of the board members as he mentioned his reason for coming back to this district. "The primary [reason] behind my decision is to continue serving the community that welcomed me when I was 5 years old, helped me grow into being a successful student and taught me English as a second language," he said. Throughout his lengthy interview, Dotres spoke with candor about his goals for the district. He was frank about how long he could and would be superintendent, driving home his main point that he brings stability and continuity to the table during a time of constant and unpredictable change. Perez was the first to raise the question of residency, asking Dotres if he would relocate to Miami-Dade County or continue to live in Weston and commute. He stated that he commuted from Broward during his tenure with M-DCPS and will continue to do so to accomplish whatever he needs to. Navarro was shaking her head no with a clear face of disappointment, asking Dotres if he sees the roles of chief academic officer and superintendent differently, as being a superintendent necessitates a hands-on commitment to the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She also challenged him to answer a difficult question: "How do you plan to ask voters in Miami-Dade County to tax themselves when you are not taxing yourself to support the school system?" "To me, it's not about where I live," Dotres responded. "It's about what I'm doing on behalf of their children and the teachers that are teaching their kids in their own community." Despite his Broward residency and the short time that he'll be able to serve as superintendent, Dotres was rumored to be a leading contender from the beginning of the search. He was honored just last month by the M-DCPS board for his career in education. Espinal, assistant superintendent in the Office of Talent Management and Innovation for the New York City Department of Education since 2018, seemed the least comfortable with the public interview process. Though qualified, Espinal's nervousness and lack of research on the district and county as a whole were evident in her responses to board member questions. Throughout her interview, Espinal focused on her expertise, closing the achievement gap and creating equitable opportunities for all students. She asserted that she believed that could be accomplished by focusing on a concrete instructional learning plan during early childhood learning. "The gap is created by a lack of strategic, precise instruction," she said. "It's people, not programs, that teach students how to read, and I can support those teachers." Espinal claimed that the achievement gap and lack of equity are the result of repeated excuses – particularly in reading – about students being poor, Black, Hispanic or unable to speak English. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall speaking with Rafaela Espinal, one of three final candidates vying for the empty M-DCPS superintendent post./WLRN.com Screenshot (WLRN.com Screenshot) As she shared her experiences as an Afro-Latina woman in education, specifically one where she was treated poorly for speaking Spanish at a meeting, board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall said she understood where she was coming from and thanked her for sharing her story. Espinal also discussed her priorities to keep students safe at all costs during the pandemic and destigmatize mental health problems in the community, while stating that she was not here to "please a politician." "This is not a job. This is a calling. This is a moral purpose," said Espinal as she concluded. "It's about time that Miami has a woman (superintendent), too." More than five hours later, the board proceeded to interview the third and final candidate, Oliva, who was previously superintendent for Flagler County Public Schools. Oliva was questioned extensively by the board – more so than the other candidates – particularly about Florida state laws regarding education. He focused his responses on what he believed made him uniquely qualified, as he stated that he has been a superintendent, possesses knowledge of the legislative process as well as teaching and engaging at the classroom level, and has experience working with parents, faith-based institutions, politicians and the NAACP to improve public education. He also emphasized what he could offer the county with his connections in Florida, such as asking for a raise in base student allocation as the state's legislative session proceeds, while being candid about what he lacked as a superintendent in Flagler County and how he planned to improve if given the opportunity to serve Miami-Dade County. Board member Steve Gallon III did not ask many questions throughout the meeting. In fact, he asked each candidate the same question: "In your previous role, how many schools and students did you serve?" However, during Oliva's interview, Gallon asked three questions with additional follow-ups. Gallon pressed him to share his participation and oversight in the decision to privatize the Jefferson County school system in a predominantly Black community – turning it over to a private charter school management company in 2017. During the one-hour public comment period at the start of the meeting, many speakers voiced their opinion that the selection was rushed, and that students and parents were being excluded from the process because they cannot attend a school board meeting on a Monday afternoon. Leah Ullman, junior at Coral Gables Senior High School and a member of the youth education coalition, echoed what many said. "Students like us have been directly shut out from this public comment session by having this occur during school hours," she said. Ullman also stated that most parents cannot leave work and pick up their child early for a school board meeting, and that students would have been penalized for missing class even for something as essential as the meeting. Many people also mentioned the need for more equity, language accessibility and civic engagement in schools. They also asked how the new superintendent plans to hire and retain teachers as they transition to other sectors; protect students from racist encounters; build relationships with students and parents; and assist students in transitioning from high school to technical careers, rather than solely college. Current M-DCPS Superintendent Alberto Carvalho plans to leave his post Feb. 3, but said he is willing to stay until Feb. 14, if needed. Dotres' start date is still unknown. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.