Miami-Dade County Public Schools secured $70,000 in grant funding to improve indoor air quality and expand recycling infrastructure across the district ahead of the 2026-27 school year, the district announced in a May 20 news release.

The money comes from two sources: about $45,000 from the Go Green Initiative's Clean Indoor Air Initiative, a multiyear program backed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and $25,000 from the 2026 Florida Beverage Association Community Grant.

The Go Green Initiative, which partners with the National School Boards Association and receives EPA funding, selected just 10 districts nationwide for its 2026-27 cohort. Those 10 districts collectively cover 606 schools and 373,343 students. The program provides technical support to help districts develop board-approved plans for managing indoor air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with official implementation beginning Aug. 1. The EPA's own research shows indoor pollutant levels in schools can run two to five times higher than outdoor levels, a particular concern for children whose developing bodies breathe more air relative to their body weight than adults.

The $25,000 recycling grant will fund new infrastructure at schools participating in the district's Green Schools Recognition Program during the 2026-27 school year. M-DCPS beat out more than 140 applicants for that award, a joint effort between the Florida Beverage Association and the Beverage Association Foundation of the United States, each contributing $12,500.

Luis Diaz, M-DCPS director of school operations, said the grants will help schools operate more sustainably and support student well-being.

The district has not specified which individual schools will receive air quality upgrades or new recycling equipment first. The Go Green Initiative program targets low-income school communities, so allocation may depend on need-based criteria set during summer onboarding.

The grants arrive as M-DCPS navigates a 4% enrollment decline, from 326,279 students in 2024-25 to 313,220 in 2025-26, according to district data reported by K-12 Dive. The school board also approved closing or consolidating nine schools at its June 17 meeting.

For families at Miami Beach Senior High, Nautilus Middle, or Ruth K. Broad Bay Harbor K-8 Center, the standard enrollment deadline is July 27. Missing that date may affect placement when classes begin Aug. 13.