M-DCPS, City of Coral Gables form 'compact' to provide greater opportunities for city's children

M-DCPS, CITY OF CORAL GABLES FORM 'COMPACT' TO PROVIDE
GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITY'S CHILDREN

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the City of Coral Gables will join together to improve education and align their resources better to ensure that children are armed with the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond – the third such compact the District has formed with municipalities.

The School Board Wednesday unanimously approved a proposal to form the education compact with the City of Coral Gables promising important results. The District and the City of Coral Gables will work together to ensure and enhance students' continued academic success, as well as provide them with opportunities to participate in internships, mentorships and parent/child activities. High on the priority list, for example, is the pledge to assure no school has a school accountability grade lower than B.

Earlier in the school year, the School District entered into a compact with the City of Miami. Last month, the School Board approved a compact with Miami-Dade County.

The City of Coral Gables presents many unique opportunities for students. With more than 140 multinational companies and more than 15 consulates located within the city and a very active chamber of commerce, it can provide invaluable business exposure to students. From a historical perspective, the city is home to numerous historically significant buildings that provide a link to the region's history. And the various museums, art galleries and destinations like Fairchild Tropical Gardens are ideal venues for providing unique learning experiences. 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:

Supporting the development of the International Studies High School to be sited in the Coral Gables Senior High School relief area.
Working with the Coral Gables Chamber to recruit and place business partners with schools, and with the consulates to expose students to a variety of experiences.
Developing a plan to connect with the many art galleries to highlight student artwork.
Placing an information kiosk in the city's Youth Center to inform parents and community members about Coral Gables' schools and city resources.
Creating a speakers bureau for Coral Gables' schools to provide teachers with access to speakers in specialized topics.
Supporting the creation of an internship initiative with businesses and Coral Gables Senior High School based on the parameters within the District's Secondary School Reform Plan.

Other goals of the Compact include collaborating on legislative agendas in support of public education, regular briefings of the School Board and City Commission, better coordination of communications and issues, and partnering on grant development opportunities.