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SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTS THE PROPOSED 2006 MIAMI – The Miami-Dade County School Board will ask state and federal legislators to support its strategic goals by providing adequate funding for education programs, including funds to assist with school construction; opportunities for professional development; and assistance with school safety The Board approved a legislative platform Wednesday that is aligned with four specific goals the Board outlined in a strategic plan last spring. Those goals are to:
The goals reflect a philosophy of fiscal responsibility while also showing academic innovation by addressing the need for reform at the secondary level. The state legislative program will target a limited number of issues, including: adequate funding for education programs, capital funding, secondary education reform, professional development, teacher recruitment, voluntary pre-kindergarten, and legal matters. The federal legislative program for the second half of the session of Congress addresses ongoing issues, including Medicaid reimbursement, the authorization of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, No Child Left Behind Act formula-based funding, immigration impact, school safety, school construction, technology, and secondary school reform. Legislative support will maintain the momentum the 2004-2005 school year brought, which improved student outcomes and a brighter financial outlook through self-assessment, re-alignment of functions and the implementation of sound educational and business practices. Academically, 85 of 317 schools in Miami-Dade County improved accountability grades under the Florida’s A+ Plan, none of the District’s middle schools or K-8 centers received an F, and the number of senior high schools receiving an F dropped from four to three in 2005. Financially, the District’s bond outlook improved and 18,000 student stations were added across the county through improved construction practices. ### 005-LJG/058/JAA |
