Press Release from the Office of School Board Member Luisa Santos, District 9
At the School Board Meeting of December 17, 2025, School Board Member Luisa Santos proffered agenda item H-11, reaffirming the School Board’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and operational efficiency.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is committed to fiscal responsibility and environmental sustainability, focusing on reducing waste and lowering hauling costs. By improving sorting, expanding composting, educating students and staff, and optimizing collection schedules, M-DCPS aims to boost operational efficiency, promote environmental responsibility, and achieve both financial and ecological goals.
“Our commitment to students goes beyond the classroom,” said School Board Member Luisa Santos. “By improving waste reduction and operational efficiency, we can save resources, promote sustainability, and create healthier, more environmentally responsible school communities.”
The item directs the Superintendent of Schools to, as feasible:
Conduct an assessment of each school site that includes, but is not limited to, an inventory of existing waste reduction efforts already implemented (e.g. share table, composting, single-stream recycling, dishwashing, etc.) and identification of additional waste reduction solutions to be implemented at each site;
Conduct an in-depth, comprehensive analysis of waste hauling schedules and service levels at all locations that takes into account decreased enrollment, site-by-site waste data, vendor billing, and other factors, to identify opportunities to reduce or consolidate hauling frequencies and adjust service levels accordingly to realize operational savings;
Initiate rulemaking to amend School Board Policy 7460, if deemed necessary and as appropriate, to require: That waste reduction cost savings be reinvested back into a fund that can be utilized for clearly defined additional resource efficiency efforts; The annual review of waste management efficiency processes;
Explore the feasibility of creating a volunteer network to support schools that choose to adopt new waste diversion practices (single stream recycling, composting, donations, etc.); and
Present findings at the Fiscal Accountability and Government Relations Committee Meeting of March 2026.
To read the full item, visit: https://luisasantos.com/priorities/
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