Miami School Board Honors Legacy of Dr. Rosa Castro Feinberg

First Hispanic woman to serve on the Miami-Dade County School Board championed educational equity and opportunity

Mar. 14, 2026 at 3:52pm

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The Miami-Dade County School Board honored the legacy of Dr. Rosa Castro Feinberg, the first Hispanic woman to serve on the school board. Feinberg was a pioneering leader who dedicated her life to justice, dignity, and educational excellence for all students, particularly English Language Learners and the district's most vulnerable populations.

Why it matters

Dr. Feinberg's legacy as a principled advocate for equity and inclusion in education left a lasting impact on Miami's Hispanic students, staff, and broader community. Her work to expand academic opportunities and strengthen policies around bilingual education and cultural representation helped shape a more just and accessible school system.

The details

Appointed to the school board in 1986 and elected in 1988, Dr. Feinberg served until 1996. She was a professor at the University of Miami and Florida International University, and played a pivotal role in developing the 1990 League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Consent Decree, which strengthened policy and expanded academic opportunity across the district. Dr. Feinberg also served on numerous state and national committees, including with the U.S. Department of Education, amplifying unheard voices and helping to shape policies that increased access and representation.

  • Dr. Feinberg was appointed to the Miami-Dade County School Board in 1986.
  • Dr. Feinberg was elected to the school board in 1988 and served until 1996.
  • Dr. Feinberg helped develop the 1990 LULAC Consent Decree.

The players

Dr. Rosa Castro Feinberg

The first Hispanic woman to serve on the Miami-Dade County School Board, Dr. Feinberg was a pioneering leader who dedicated her life to justice, dignity, and educational excellence for all students.

Mari Tere Rojas

The Miami-Dade County School Board chair and District 6 representative who proffered the agenda item honoring Dr. Feinberg's legacy.

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What they’re saying

“Dr. Feinberg championed educational opportunities for all students. Guided by equity and integrity, she amplified unheard voices and helped shape policies that expanded access, opportunity, and representation, particularly in support of bilingual education and cultural inclusion.”

— Mari Tere Rojas, Miami-Dade County School Board Chair and District 6 Representative (Community Newspapers)

The takeaway

Dr. Feinberg's legacy as a pioneering leader and principled advocate for educational equity and inclusion continues to inspire the Miami-Dade County school system and community. Her work to expand opportunities and representation for the district's most vulnerable students, particularly English Language Learners, left an indelible mark on the lives of countless young people.