KIPP Miami to Open Two New Schools at Former Poinciana Park Elementary School Building Starting in August, Expanding High-Quality Educational Options for Families

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KIPP Miami announced today that it will become the first charter operator to reopen an underutilized Miami-Dade County Public Schools facility under Florida's School of Hope designation, opening two new schools at the former Poinciana Park Elementary School in Liberty City beginning August 2026. Alongside this expansion, KIPP Miami will also open KIPP Miami Technical High School, offering students a direct pathway from kindergarten through career.

KIPP Legacy Elementary and KIPP Legacy Middle schools will open at the Poinciana Park site in K–6 this fall, with grades expanding each year. The campus holds special significance: it is the same Liberty City neighborhood where KIPP Miami first opened its doors in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools in 2018. Reopening this facility is both a practical expansion and a homecoming — a return to a community that KIPP Miami has served for nearly a decade.

"For KIPP Miami, this is a meaningful step forward," said Charlie Schmidt, Executive Director of KIPP Miami. "We are grateful for the partnership this represents with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and for the opportunity to work together through the School of Hope process. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to excellent public education for every child in Liberty City."

The Liberty City campus will bring together culturally responsive teaching, social-emotional learning, and a school culture built on high expectations and genuine belonging. Families will be welcomed as true partners – not just through communication and events, but through shared ownership of the school's direction and values. KIPP Miami's approach is rooted in knowing every student by name and building the kind of trust that makes bold learning possible.

Also opening in August 2026, KIPP Miami Technical High School will offer three specialized career academies – Business, Commercial & Digital Arts, and Technology/AI — giving students the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma, college credits, industry-recognized credentials, and real-world experience. It is a vision of what public education can be: rigorous, relevant, and connected to the futures students actually want.

"Our goal is to build schools that are deeply rooted in community and centered on students," Schmidt added. "These campuses represent collaboration, trust, and a shared belief that every child in Liberty City deserves not just an excellent education, but a clear and supported path to wherever they want to go."

Ahead of the August opening, KIPP Miami will refresh the Poinciana Park facility to create a welcoming environment that honors the history of the surrounding neighborhood while preparing it to serve the next generation of Liberty City students.

Families interested in enrolling can visit www.kippmiami.org/enroll.