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. gordon was later elected to serve as the first chair of the executive board of the school and served in that capacity for six years. they studied other arts schools in the country, visiting laguardia high school, juilliard and the north carolina school of the arts. a bill creating the "south florida school of the arts" passed the florida house of representatives on may 30, 1984. soon afterwards, the new world name was chosen as part of larger plans for urban and cultural development which included the eponymous new world symphony orchestra, and to avoid confusion with the florida school of the arts. the florida legislature passed the "new world school of the arts act" in 1986.