MDC Alumnus Selected Superintendent Of MDCPS
Miami Dade College alumnus José L. Dotres was selected as the next superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools on Monday.
After a marathon meeting that lasted more than eight hours, the MDCPS School Board selected Dotres by a 6-3 vote to replace Alberto Carvalho, who is leaving the district to lead the Los Angeles Unified School District on Feb. 3.
The other two candidates were Rafaela Espinal and Jacob Oliva.
“It truly is an honor to be nominated and selected as superintendent of this wonderful school district,” Dotres told the MDCPS school board shortly after being selected. “I value tremendously the students and employees that compose this school district.”
Most recently, Dotres served as deputy superintendent of Collier County Public Schools in Naples.
But he is no stranger to MDCPS. In 1988, he was a teacher and reading coach at Frederick Douglass and South Pointe elementary schools. Seven years later, he became assistant principal at M.A. Milam K-8 Center.
In 2000, he started a five-year stint as principal at Hialeah Gardens Elementary. Throughout his MDCPS career, he has also served as an administrative director, chief of staff and region superintendent.
When he served as Assistant Superintendent at the Office of Human Capital Management at MDCPS, Dotres was inducted into the 2013 Alumni Hall of Fame.
Dotres earned his associate’s degree in education from MDC in 1982. Three years later, he graduated from Florida International University with a bachelor’s degree in public administration. He acquired his master’s of science degree in reading from Barry University in 1988 and has a doctorate of education degree in leadership and innovation from St. Thomas University.
“I’m honored and extremely happy that I get to come back and work with incredible professionals that are committed to the solid work of improving education and providing access for all students,” Dotres said at the end of the MDCPS school board meeting.
