M-DCPS, City of Miami Beach School Compact enhances excellence in public education

M-DCPS, CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
SCHOOL COMPACT ENHANCES EXCELLENCE IN
PUBLIC EDUCATION
- Includes International Baccalaureate Program for Miami Beach Schools -

MIAMI – Quality schools are essential to the fabric of the community, and on January 15, 2008, both the City of Miami Beach Commission and the Miami-Dade County School Board approved and entered into an education compact that supports enhancing education for the Miami Beach community.

"This compact signals that Miami Beach's leaders are committed to being actively involved in providing their community's children with the best education possible, said Superintendent of Schools Rudy Crew. “This is a unique and exciting compact, and we are very proud of our joint efforts."

“The education compact was developed with significant community input over the past two years and reflects the desire of the Miami Beach community to support and invest in excellence in our schools,” said Miami Beach City Manager Jorge M. Gonzalez.

The compact focuses on student achievement, teacher recruitment and retention, enhanced communication of educational and community events, family involvement and support, engaged youth and community, increased health and well-being of students, improved safety and perceptions of safety in schools, and improved access to technology. Enhanced student achievement will include: A designated coordinator of the arts who will align cultural offerings to the curriculum in all Miami Beach schools;

An International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Miami Beach schools, as well as high school academies;
Full-time equivalent (FTE) funding allocation measure and enhanced counseling and teacher-to-student ratios;
An internship initiative for Miami Beach Senior High students;
Enhanced counseling and teacher-to-student ratios;
Implementation of best practice strategies to increase the high school graduation rate;
The creation of a speakers’ bureau for schools to provide teachers with access to speakers on specialized topics; and,
Enhanced collaboration on grant development opportunities.

Implementation of the IB program will begin at Miami Beach Senior High, Nautilus Middle, and Fienberg-Fisher K-8’s sixth through eighth grades immediately, with implementation at the elementary schools within two years. The City’s cost commitment for the implementation of the IB program is $223,000. Funding for the primary years program will be explored in the future.

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