Kendell Bently-Baker, inspired by the academic success of that program, and attempting to take greater advantage of the facilities and faculty of Miami Dade College (MDC), then known as Miami Dade Community College, proposed the creation of a dual-enrollment school of the arts: morning academics were to be at the student's home high school; in the afternoon students were to be bussed to one of the two MDCC campuses for classes in art or the performing arts.

In 1984, Marcy Sarmiento, Kandell Bentley-Baker and Richard Janaro were asked to plan a successor school to PAVAC.

Knowing they would need approval from the Florida Legislature they enlisted civic leader and lobbyist Seth Gordon to join them.

[11] John de Lancie was the director of Philadelphia's famed Curtis Institute of Music before becoming the founding Dean at New World.

[12][13][14] He was replaced by Willie Anthony Waters, principal conductor of the Greater Miami Opera.

[15] Since then the position has been filled by: Tallulah Brown, 1994–95; Karl Kramer, 1995–97; Roby George, 1997–98; Mark Camphouse, 1998–99;[16] Dennis Prime, 1999–2002; Jeffrey Hodgson, 2002-2009; Jim Gasior, 2009-2012; and Milton Ruben Laufer 2012-2014.

Dr. Richard Paul Janaro agreed to serve as acting Dean of Theater at the school's inception.

Admission to New World School of the Arts is determined by a performance audition or a portfolio review.

This gives New World an 11% admissions rate, making it one of Miami's most competitive public high schools.

[citation needed] School demographics for 2009–10 were 35% male and 65% female; 42% Hispanic (of any race), 36% White non-Hispanic, 19% Black, 3% Asian, and less than 1% other.