The Hialeah City Council has approved an expansion plan that will give even more public land to a charter school that has gradually overtaken a once-vibrant city park.
Since 2008, the City of Hialeah Educational Academy, affiliated with the large charter school network Academica, has expanded its footprint on public property, transforming parts of Slade Park into classrooms. Now, the city has approved a four-, five- and six-phase expansion of the school, a move that raises pressing questions: Will this be the final expansion, or is further growth on the horizon?
The original agreement, made in 2008 under former Mayor Julio Robaina — who became Academica’s chief operating officer shortly after leaving office — allowed the charter school to build on a portion of Slade Park. Over the years, the school has grown from a small institution into a thriving educational complex serving almost 1,000 students in grades 6-12. The school plans to expand its enrollment, accommodating up to 1,250 students…