Derek Negron never intended to pursue a career in education but when duty called, it sounded a lot like home. The Miami native was in graduate school when a local principal recognized his potential and offered him a position in the classroom.
“I actually didn’t want to become a teacher,” Negron said with a laugh. “But one thing led to the next. I began to understand the impact and a bit more of my calling.”
Today, Negron serves as a district administrator for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, overseeing 20 of the district’s most academically fragile schools. He is also co-founder of The Light Preparatory Academy. His leadership has become a blueprint for transforming schools into centers of success.
His first teaching position was at Barbara Hawkins Elementary. What was supposed to be a temporary role turned into a decade-long mission. Negron’s calling crystallized as he helped lift Barbara Hawkins from one of the lowest-performing schools in Florida to an “A” school. He later led a similar turnaround at Carol City Middle School which had previously received five consecutive failing grades. The school improved to a “C” rating under his leadership.
Now working at the district level, Negron is laser-focused on expanding opportunities and closing gaps in historically overlooked neighborhoods.
The Light Preparatory Academy (TLPA) tackles this mission. Founded in 2023, the Miami Gardens private faith-based early learning center is dedicated to preparing children from infancy through age five for life-long learning. It is designed to address gaps in kindergarten readiness through a curriculum that blends academics, Christian values and cultural relevance.
Co-founded by Negron, and his wife Kimberly, TLPA blends early literacy, numeracy, social- emotional learning, and parent engagement in a safe and nurturing environment.
With certified educators on staff and pathways to train aspiring teachers, the academy is also committed to building the early education workforce.
“This school was born from the cry we’ve witnessed in our own classrooms,” Negron said. “As parents and educators, we’ve seen first-hand how a strong early start can shape a child’s entire academic journey. If it’s good enough for our children, it’s good enough for all children.”
Founding a school, Negron advises, is not a “hobby.” It requires bold and committed leadership, strategic planning and an unshakeable belief that education can address deep-rooted community challenges. “To launch a school is to launch a movement— one rooted in purpose, driven by equity and sustained by excellence,” he said.
Even with a full plate – managing district demands, co-founding a school and mentoring budding leaders, Negron moves with clarity and calm.
That’s no accident.
He learned that it’s alignment and not ambition is what sustains him. “I’m a father and a husband before any of these roles,” he said. “We all have the same hours in a week. How we use them is critical.”
With the many hats he wears in education, Negron isn’t simply planning for the next school year, he’s shaping the conditions for generational change. His mission ensures that every student, regardless of background or zip-code, has access to high-quality instruction, early intervention and the kind of leadership that not only responds to need but also anticipates it.
“My favorite part of this work is building leaders who can make an even greater impact,” he said. “Because when we do this together, the change multiples.”
