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M-DCPS SECONDARY SCHOOL REFORM MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ initiative to revamp its middle and high schools won important support from the U.S. Department of Education with its award of an $11 million grant. The federal funds will be used to create small “academies” to help 9th graders make the transition to high school and to offer older students career-based learning at 10 large high schools. Those senior high schools are Barbara Goleman, Hialeah, Homestead, Miami, Miami Central, Miami Coral Park, Miami Southridge, Miami Springs, Miami Sunset and Felix Varela. The grant is more than three times the amount awarded last year. Last year’s $3 million grant helped spark academies in six other schools. In March, the School Board approved a framework to redesign Miami-Dade’s middle and high schools to raise the rigor of the curriculum and to allow students to apply their learning to their career interests. Over next school year, each secondary school will plan to implement the framework, which was developed by a group of principals and central administrators, in the 2006-2007 year. In middle school, for example, schools will offer algebra earlier, require foreign language courses and begin character education courses. In high school, students will be grouped into career-themed schools within a school to provide them a more individualized attention and applied learning opportunities; every senior will have the opportunity for an internship or a dual enrollment experience in college. The federal grant will be used to assist students at the 10 schools performing below state standards, raise overall academic rigor, and support teachers with professional development. ### 05/LJG/001 |
