About 37,000 students return to Catholic schools as Archdiocese of Miami sees enrollment growth

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — About 37,000 students are heading back to class at Catholic schools across South Florida as the Archdiocese of Miami begins the 2026-2027 school year with growing enrollment and new investments in its campuses.

Read more Earthquake in Colombia: BOXR Gym hosts fundraising run in downtown Miami

Leer en español

The archdiocese says it continues to see increased enrollment across its 65 Catholic schools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.

CLICK HERE to submit your back to school pictures to Local 10 News.

To meet the growing demand for Catholic education and accommodate the larger student population, schools are expanding classroom space, renovating facilities and adding academic programs.

At St. Theresa Catholic School in Coral Gables, students are starting the year with new STEM classrooms aimed at expanding opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The school is also preparing for a major expansion later this year.

St. Theresa is expected to break ground on a new multipurpose center, which will be the first new building constructed on the campus in more than 70 years.

Read more Keys students return to classrooms for 1st day of school

The new facility will provide dedicated spaces for art and music classrooms, a gymnasium and a performing arts stage.

“We haven’t had a new building since 1958, so putting a new building on this campus is quite the feat,” Father Manny Alvarez said. “It’s been quite the feat to get us there, but we’re just so thankful for Coral Gables helping us out to get us there and we just gotta get over that finish line to be able to put the shovel in the ground.”

Alvarez said he hopes to break ground on that new multipurpose center this fall.

As for students, they told Local 10 they are most excited about having a new caterer prepare their school lunches.

The projects at St. Theresa are part of broader investments and expansions underway across the Archdiocese of Miami as its schools work to accommodate increased enrollment and demand.

Read more Indonesian rescuers evacuate dozens from a ferry fire that left at least 1 dead near Bali