Biography
Dr. Jose L. Dotres is the Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), the third-largest school district in the nation with over 40,000 employees and 350,000 students.
At the age of five, he arrived in Miami, Florida – an immigrant boy from humble beginnings who enrolled in M-DCPS as an English Language Learner, graduated from high school, and began a long and rewarding career serving students, parents, employees, and the larger school community within the system that welcomed him as a child.
He originally entered a career in the private sector, however feeling a call for service to a community that supported him when he arrived, he felt drawn to the classroom. It was his time at Barry University earning his Masters in Reading that served as the launching pad for his career in education.
Having held multiple instructional and administrative leadership roles over the course of his career in M-DCPS and other educational organizations, Dr. Dotres is a proven educator with a wealth of experience. He has served in the capacity of Teacher, Reading Coach, Principal, District Administrator, Regional Administrative Director, Region Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer of Broward County Public Schools, Chief of Staff, Chief Human Capital Officer, and most recently, Deputy Superintendent of Collier County Public Schools.
Teaching the whole child and ensuring optimal conditions for teaching and learning are at the forefront of his decision-making and serve as his guiding philosophy. He is a strategic thinker, visionary leader, and innovator with a strong commitment to building the leadership capacity of others. A champion of professional learning, Dr. Dotres strongly believes in providing professional growth and career opportunities for the entire workforce. He envisions positioning M-DCPS as a school district of choice for students and parents, and an employer of choice for the community.
On the national level, Dr. Dotres has made significant contributions to organizations such as the Council of the Great City Schools. Additionally, he is the co-author of several educational publications and has presented to the Florida Senate’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and the Florida House of Representatives’ PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee on Education on topics related to teacher recruitment and retention and early literacy interventions. In 2013, he was inducted into the Miami Dade College Alumni Hall of Fame. Dr. Dotres holds a doctorate degree in Leadership and Innovation from St. Thomas University, an educational specialist degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Miami, a master’s degree in Reading from Barry University, and a bachelor's degree in Public Administration from Florida International University.