![\"Success](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MIA_SN1_8625.JPG\" "\\"Success")
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Success Academy Charter Schools CEO Eva Moskowitz speaks after announcing that her charter school conglomerate is coming to Florida during a press conference at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, Thursday, September 25, 2025.<\/p>\n
SAM NAVARRO<\/p>\n
Special for the Miami Herald<\/p>\n
In a near-unanimous but uneasy vote Wednesday, Miami-Dade\u2019s school board approved an agreement allowing the New York-based charter giant Success Academy \u2014 backed in part by the billionaire Miami transplant Ken Griffin \u2014 to operate classrooms in five district high schools.<\/p>\n
The first-of-its-kind arrangement marks a tectonic shift for Florida\u2019s largest school district, where charter schools have operated in their own facilities rather than district property. It also places Miami-Dade squarely in the middle of a broader and increasingly contentious debate over Florida\u2019s \u201cSchool of Hope\u201d laws, which now require districts to make underused and \u201dpersistently low-performing\u201d schools available to be occupied by approved charter operators.<\/p>\n
Supporters, largely Republicans, say the policy accelerates school improvement and expands options for families \u2014 especially those in districts with subpar schools. Critics argue it weakens local control, redirects public funding without voter input and forces districts to accommodate privately managed schools whether they want to or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cElections have consequences,\u201d said District 1 member Steve Gallon, a Democrat. \u201cWe may not like it, we may not agree with it, but we have to respect it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The agreement<\/a> approved on Wednesday allows Success Academy to co-locate at Hialeah-Miami Lakes, Homestead, Miami Jackson, North Miami and Westland-Hialeah high schools. The operator will enroll an initial 1,400 students across the five campuses, tentatively beginning August 2027, according to meeting documents.<\/p>\n While charter schools are not new to Miami-Dade, the structure of the deal is. Instead of opening a standalone campus, Success Academy will operate inside existing district schools, sharing facilities such as classrooms, cafeterias and common areas.<\/p>\n The arrangement makes Success Academy the first state-authorized \u201cHope Operator\u201d to reach a co-location agreement with Miami-Dade, an \u201cA\u201d-rated district that serves upwards of 300,000 students. It could also tease what\u2019s to come; multiple charter groups have already expressed interest in accessing space at dozens of Miami-Dade schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n As with all charter schools in Florida, funding follows the student. Each child who enrolls in Success Academy will draw in state per-pupil dollars with them, redirecting funding away from the district.<\/p>\n Success Academy will pay Miami-Dade $700 per student to cover shared costs like custodial services and cafeteria use, according to the agreement. District officials say that amount is unlikely to fully offset the financial and operational strain of sharing campuses, particularly as enrollment declines in traditional Miami-Dade public schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a statement on Thursday, Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz said \u201cwe are honored to partner with Miami-Dade to ensure that every child \u2014 especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds \u2014 has access to an exceptional public education.\u201d<\/p>\n