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Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has taken the lead as one the few urban school districts to make environmentally friendly policies and practices a top priority.
This work is evident throughout the district, from school sites to central offices, with 20 electric school buses on the road, solar panels installed at various campuses, new buildings equipped with solar-ready roofs and water-saving fixtures. These initiatives will result in a reduction of our carbon footprint and an increase in ways to avoid costs.
“Our efforts started with a community wanting to see a change and they are constant reminders that it takes a day to build a policy and a decade to create a culture,” said Karly Pulido, the district’s Sustainability Officer.
The campaign to transition to clean energy and raise awareness about environmental issues has been ongoing within the district for years. This movement, like most sustainable initiatives, has been organic in nature and framed by the school board’s Clean Energy Taskforce formed in 2021.
By conserving energy, reducing water consumption, and adding more electric buses to the fleet, the goal is to reach 100 percent clean energy with buildings and vehicles by 2030.
One way to accomplish the goals set by the task force is with solar power. Several M-DCPS schools already are taking advantage of this technology. Plus, they have been able to use these innovations to educate their students on these vital challenges of energy consumption and production.
In April 2023, FPL donated a $250,000 solar canopy to the Marine Academy of Science and Technology @ Florida International University Biscayne Bay Campus (MAST@FIU).
“This is a good opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint,” said MAST@FIU BBC 10th grader Andres Flores at the unveiling of the canopy. “We’re conserving energy and that is good for the environment and good in the long-term for the school.”
The solar canopy enhances the school’s marine science and STEM curriculum by providing students with firsthand experience monitoring the canopy’s emissions-free solar energy production, which will save the school $5,500 a year in energy costs.
MAST Academy in Key Biscayne has made becoming a carbon-free school one of its top goals. Students are very supportive of the effort.
“We want to be a leader and show other school communities how they can do something in their home to increase their own energy efficiency. Even if it’s just turning off the lights when they leave a room,” said Green Champions Club member Sam Grossman.
The school’s Green Champions Club has been very active at the school.
Last year, the school unveiled a new solar panel, thanks in large part to the Village of Key Biscayne’s $40,000 donation, which covered most of the $59,000 cost.
The panel is expected to produce enough power in its first year equivalent to removing 14.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the environment, the equivalency of removing three gasoline powered cars from the road.
“I think this is inspiring for our students and hopeful for our community and our school system to bring solar energy to the broader areas, which is on all of the rooftops of the schools in Miami-Dade County,” said Elena Paisley, a teacher and the Green Champions’ sponsor at MAST.
The district is enrolled in FPL’s Solar Together Program which provides renewable electricity for 45 percent of M-DCPS’ total electricity consumption and is projected to return more than $12 million to the district over its lifetime.
To further the goals of the Clean Energy Task Force, this past August, M-DCPS introduced 20 electric buses into its fleet of 1,000, with fast-charging stations installed in partnership with FPL. Each bus can carry 72 students up to 120 miles on a single charge and take two to six hours to charge. And for each electric bus delivered, a diesel one is taken off the road. The district plans to add 15 more buses in May and another 15 by next year.
And with the addition of 50 buses through the Clean School Bus Program $19.75 million EPA grant, that number will grow to 100 by March 2026.
“The District is doing its part to reduce the carbon footprint. The buses themselves are clean not only as far as carbon emissions, but also for students who can now breathe cleaner air,” said James Hicks, administrative director of M-DCPS’ Department of Transportation.
As the third-largest school district in America, we are steadfast in our commitment to lead the way to a more resilient future. These are just a few examples of the innovations M-DCPS is working to help our community. By taking this leadership role and using it to educate our students, M-DCPS is your best choice.
Tiffanie A. Pauline is Chief Strategy Officer, Office of Strategic Planning and Initiatives, Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
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