Miami Beach

Getting Schooled

City vows to enhance public education

By Ben Torter

Miami Beach officials dissatisfied with the quality of public education in the city may be on the verge of signing a compact with the county that they hope will help kids learn more.

Members of the Miami Beach Neighborhoods/Community Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the City Commission enter into the agreement with the Miami-Dade County School Board to reverse some negative trends.

Enrollment in Miami Beach public schools has decreased in recent years, partly because some parents are sending their children to private schools. There is also a need to improve school grades based on FCAT testing. Miami Beach Senior High School, for example, slid from C- to D-school status in 2007.

Under the proposed agreement, the city and the school board would use workforce housing and other incentives to keep teachers in Miami Beach, as well as encourage family involvement in the schools and student involvement in the community to improve students’ health and well-being and provide more access to technology.

“We have an incredible opportunity to improve the education of all the kids in this city,” said Karen Rivo, a member of the Committee for Quality Education in Miami Beach and president of the Miami Beach Senior High School Parent Teacher Association.

A key feature of the proposed agreement is the addition of an International Baccalaureate program for middle and high school students.

“There are many more aspects than just the IB program, but I think that is probably the centerpiece in terms of the academic side of it,” said Miami Beach Senior High School Principal Rosann Sidener. She explained that the IB program is similar to Advanced Placement classes.

“Probably the biggest difference is IB is internationally recognized,” Sidener said.

Launching the IB program would require the city to spend $150,000 on top of the money Miami Beach taxpayers already give the school board. According to city records, property taxes collected for the school board have increased by 78 percent, or $90 million, since fiscal year 2004-2005.

Commissioner Jonah Wolfson, the new vice chairman of the Neighborhoods/Community Affairs Committee, questioned why the school board can’t do a better job with what it’s already given.

“Mr. Wolfson is right, we really should be talking about how to get Miami-Dade County Schools to do this on its own dime,” City Manager Jorge Gonzalez said.

But not expecting the school board to act alone, the committee members unanimously decided that the extra money would be worth it.

“This is an investment in the future, plain and simple,” Commissioner Deede Wiethorn said.

The commission will vote on the compact on Jan. 16.

In other education news, when Miami Beach High students return from winter recess on Monday, two new buildings will be open at the school. The old Beach High building will be torn down to build a third facility for the public school.

Comments? E-mail ben@miamisunpost.com

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