SUPERINTENDENT ALBERTO CARVALHO CELEBRATES FLORIDA’S
WINNING BID FOR RACE TO THE TOP FUNDS

MIAMI- Miami-Dade Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho celebrated Florida’s winning bid for federal Race to the Top funding with members of the local working group who helped foster broad stakeholder support for the state’s application.

“This is a day all Floridians can be proud of,” Carvalho said.  “We have worked together toward a common goal, with results that will benefit our students—the people who are our future.”

Florida is eligible to receive $700 million in Race to the Top funding over four years.  According to Florida’s grant application, the funds will be used to increase student achievement; decrease achievement gaps between subgroups in reading/language arts and mathematics; increase high school graduation rates; and increase college enrollment and the number of students who complete at least a year’s worth of college credit that is applicable to a degree within two years of enrollment in an institution of higher education.

Superintendent Carvalho was named, via executive order, to head Florida’s Race to the Top Working Group.  Under Carvalho’s leadership, the Working Group reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) supporting the state’s application for the Race to the Top grant, and worked to foster broad stakeholder support for it. 

Miami-Dade’s working group included Miami-Dade School Board Vice Chair Perla Tabares Hantman; Florida Board of Education Member Roberto Martinez; UTD President Karen Aronowitz; Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Barry Johnson; former Miami-Dade PTA/PTSA President Mindy Gould; Miami-Dade Teacher of the Year Cristine O’Hara; Former Miami-Dade Teacher of the Year Patricia Fairclough; and Hialeah Senior High Student Abel Iraola.

The United States Department of Education sponsors Race to the Top to provide $4.35 billion to states that will lead the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling and comprehensive education reform. Florida was selected as one of 16 finalists for Phase I of the Race to the Top grant, having been awarded the fourth highest number of points for its application. 

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