M-DCPS, City of Miami form unprecedented 'compact' to renew education in city's 48 schools

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the City of Miami will join together in unprecedented ways to improve education for the city’s nearly 80,000 schoolchildren.

The School Board Wednesday unanimously approved a proposal by School Board Chair Frank J. Bolaños, Superintendent of Schools Rudolph F. “Rudy” Crew and City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz to form an education compact promising significant results. By 2008, the District and the City will work together to assure no school has a school accountability grade lower than B and that all graduates have significant tools for success in life. Requiring little to no additional funding, the pact is a one-of-a-kind agreement that allows the District and City to work together closely to achieve their mutual goals; in some cases, it is a question of expanding existing programs; in others, it means creating theme-focused “academies” and constructing facilities that better address the community’s changing needs.

Both the District and the City are undergoing radical, important changes. Miami is experiencing a construction, redevelopment and cultural boom. At the same time, M-DCPS is implementing its first-ever, comprehensive Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, which includes extensive construction and renovation of school facilities; for the city, this means six new elementary schools, a new middle school and a new senior high school, and replacements and additions at others. By collaborating on everything from construction to facilities use to the creation of new programs, both governments are aligning their resources better to ensure that children are armed with the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond.

Among the programs or projects currently under consideration through the Compact are:

Exploring the potential for a commuter high school
Creating at least four Early Childhood Centers by 2008 in new high-rise buildings.
Including a senior high school component in the proposed Miami Law Enforcement building in downtown Miami.
Incorporating specialized science and fine arts high schools on the grounds of Museum Park, where the city’s science and art museums will be located.
Incorporating a high school for sports-related careers, in future planning for the Orange Bowl.
Organizing a community literacy initiative in Miami neighborhoods to arm adults with tools to help children develop their reading skills.

Other goals of the Compact include collaborating on legislative agendas in support of public education; coordinating joint-use facilities, particularly parks and recreation facilities; recruiting high-quality teachers; and partnering on grant development opportunities.

The Miami City Commission will consider the compact Thursday morning.

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