After the Headlines: What Success Academy Means for Miami
Beyond the headlines, the expansion reflects Miami’s enduring belief in public education that works for every student.
By: Justin de Leon, VP of Education, Partnership for Miami
The announcement that Success Academy would expand to Miami made headlines, and for good reason. But the real story is what happens next: how this milestone builds on Miami’s decades-long commitment to public education that delivers results for every student.
Miami’s public schools have long defied expectations transforming outcomes for students once left behind. From large-scale district reforms to embracing bold state policies that opened the door to high-performing public charter schools, innovation has always been part of our state and city’s educational DNA.
Two decades ago, Miami-Dade launched the bold School Improvement Zone, investing $100 million to turn around its 39 lowest-performing schools. The result? A dramatic drop in “F” schools and rising achievement across the district. But, as we learned then, dollars alone don’t drive change, leadership, urgency and shared accountability do. To sustain that progress, the Education Transformation Office was soon created, granting select schools greater autonomy over staffing, scheduling, and resources. These reforms worked hand-in-hand with a growing charter sector, helping Miami become one of the nation’s most improved large urban school systems.
Today, Miami has no failing schools and more than 300 “A”-rated campuses. That’s a remarkable milestone — one earned by teachers, leaders, and families who refused to accept mediocrity. But we can’t stop here. In many of those “A” schools, only half of students meet grade-level expectations in reading and math. The letter grade doesn’t tell the full story.
That’s why Florida’s new Schools of Hope reforms matter. The updated legislation allows only the highest-performing public charter networks to co-locate in underused district facilities and receive funding tied directly to results. It’s a smart, outcomes-focused approach that keeps students, not systems, at the center.
And that’s why the news of Success Academy, one of the nation’s highest-performing public charter networks, expanding to Florida — starting here in Miami — is so exciting. Their arrival builds on a long Miami tradition: continuously reimagining what’s possible for students who need us most.
Innovation isn’t new to Miami. It’s our legacy, and our responsibility. But to deliver on the promise of opportunity for every child, we must keep pushing forward — across policy, classrooms, and communities — to grow more high-quality schools of every kind.
As Success Academy prepares to open its doors, Miami once again has a chance to show what’s possible when innovation meets urgency. At the Partnership for Miami, we’ll continue working alongside educators, policymakers, and community leaders to ensure that every child — in every neighborhood — has access to a great public school.