The Key Biscayne Village Council is actively exploring solutions to address the challenges faced by the K-8 Center, the island’s lone public school, as it grapples with declining enrollment and slipping test scores.
The current situation has been exacerbated by a significant outflow of students in grades 6, 7, and 8 who are seeking spots in the highly regarded Cambridge Program at MAST Academy, located on Virginia Key.
Elected leaders describe this phenomenon as a vicious cycle, which has led the K-8 Center into a state of crisis.
In a parallel to the school’s overflowing enrollment issues from 13 years ago, the Village Council is once again brainstorming potential interventions to revitalize the K-8 Center and its middle school offerings.
The drop in enrollment at the K-8 is part of a statewide trend, with Miami-Dade County also experiencing declines in public school registrations.
In response, district officials have begun considering the re-purposing of school buildings to address these challenges.
Currently, the proposed solutions remain in a conceptual phase, as Council members seek collaborations with the school district and other organizations to enhance the middle school experience.
Nancy Lawther, a former state legislative chair for the Florida PTA, urged the Village Council to act swiftly, emphasizing that improvements in quality must take place immediately.
“You do not have much time to act,” Lawther warned, addressing the May 29 meeting attended by Vice Mayor Oscar Sardiñas and Council Member Frank Caplan.
“There is a need for additional resources or new ideas, as different municipalities have different theories on how to bolster educational quality.”
Daisy Diaz, who leads the K-8’s Parent-Teacher Student Association, expressed concern over the declining test scores at the school.
“These scores reflect what we have to work with,” she commented, calling the situation “dismal.”
Furthermore, Diaz pointed out that there is a significant gap in the services provided for children with special needs, suggesting that the private sector could potentially offer better resources in this area.
“There is definitely room for improvement in special needs education,” she said, reaffirming the community’s capabilities.
“In terms of space, you can definitely do better.”
As Sardiñas and Caplan prepared for a June 12 meeting with the school district, the woes of the K-8 Center were also focal points during a May 22 strategy session conducted with Village leaders.
Sardiñas articulated the problem clearly: the exodus from the K-8 Center stems from the misconception that entrance into the MAST Academy high school is contingent upon first attending its middle school.
“The public perception led to a mass departure from the K-8,” Sardiñas noted.
“With this, funding dwindled, and a lack of resources ensued, perpetuating the false narrative that the K-8 is an inadequate option.”
Council Member Frank Caplan acknowledged that the Miami-Dade Public Schools assumed interest in the K-8 would remain high among students not pursuing MAST.
“However, what we’ve seen is that the traditional curriculum’s credibility has diminished, while families aspire more towards MAST and private schooling than they did 15 years ago,” Caplan remarked.
During his tenure as mayor, Caplan had facilitated the expansion of MAST by negotiating an $18 million deal that involved the Village funding construction of additional facilities on Virginia Key.
At that time, the K-8 Center was thriving, with over 1,200 students.
Today, however, the numbers have drastically changed; enrollment figures reveal a severe decline with sixth-grade numbers plummeting 57% from 66 in the 2020-21 school year to just 28 this year.
Similarly, seventh-grade enrollments shrank by 45%, from 66 to 36, and the eighth-grade class decreased by 35%, falling from 71 to 46 over the same period.
These statistics were shared by Lawther during the meeting, highlighting the extent of the K-8’s challenges.
The recent turmoil surrounding MAST admissions spurred many parents into action, as a school district algorithm error left their children vying for spots on waiting lists.
This dissatisfaction brought parents to Village Council meetings in large numbers, passionately pleading for assistance, which helped bring the broader systemic issues to light.
Caplan pointed out, “The MAST admissions emergency quickly transformed into a larger conversation about the state of public education and its future.”
While the council is concerned about the immediate needs of the K-8 Center, particularly the middle school segment, they are also aware of growing anecdotal evidence that families are increasingly dismissive of public education as a viable option.
Lawther remarked that the Village is experiencing consequences of its own success, noting that the earlier efforts to secure seats at MAST have contributed to the current predicament.
“Attempts to revitalize the K-8 have yet to yield positive outcomes,” she added.
In response to the challenges facing the K-8 Center, several innovative ideas have been suggested, such as the introduction of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
This program promotes inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and a global perspective, mirroring the values of the Cambridge Program.
For instance, Coral Gables High School offers an IB track that could be the model for a similar initiative at the K-8.
“I believe it could be beneficial for parents to understand how to guide their children’s educational paths early on,” Sardiñas said, acknowledging the need for preparatory programs in middle school.
Lawther, who has also served as the chair of the Pinecrest Education Advisory Council, proposed that the K-8 strategize larger, more appealing options, including targeting students from Brickell.
She noted that affluent families from Brickell often choose charter schools but could be attracted to the K-8 given the right programmatic developments.
Another shared idea was the creation of sports teams at the K-8, although Sardiñas cautioned that finding available playing fields would pose a significant challenge.
In terms of potential positive developments, Lawther indicated that there remains a strong desire for quality public education within Miami-Dade County.
While the public support for charter schools is reportedly low, competition remains, as many schools, including those in nearby Pinecrest, actively pursue student enrollment through targeted marketing efforts.
“Everywhere I’m looking, I’m receiving information and advertisements; there is an aggressive marketing initiative at play,” Lawther remarked.
However, teacher retention presents another significant hurdle for the future success of the K-8.
The rising cost of living on Key Biscayne makes it increasingly difficult for educators to afford housing in the area.
Sardiñas highlighted, “Finding quality teachers to come to Key Biscayne has become a considerable challenge due to these economic factors.”
Suggesting that the local Chamber of Commerce might collaborate with businesses to offer discounts for employees who work on the island, Sardiñas believes that there are potential strategies to make teaching in the area more appealing.
Village Manager Steve Williamson echoed the sentiment, proposing that educational foundations could offer supplemental income and create additional after-school opportunities that would provide financial incentives for teachers.
By creating valuable local opportunities, the leaders hope to engage more educators in the community, thus enriching the educational experience for students at the K-8 Center.
image source from：https://kbindependent.org/2025/06/02/rescue-the-k-8-with-enrollment-falling-council-looks-at-solutions-before-its-too-late/
