As part of an ongoing effort to enrich the lives of youth in the community, the City of Miami Beach has launched a free Miami Beach After-School Enrichment Program (ASEP) to three Miami Beach schools in hopes of improving student self-esteem, providing a positive environment for kids and inspiring children to build their natural curiosity through hands-on learning.
The unique needs of each participating school make it challenging to preselect providers without ongoing collaboration between the City’s Chief Education Officer and each appropriate school site principal annually. Each afterschool enrichment class is fundamental in encouraging critical thinking, sparking creativity, setting the foundation for a career in growing fields, and ensuring Miami Beach educational enrichment programming is accessible.
In January 2008, the City of Miami Beach entered into an Education Compact with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to enhance learning opportunities for youth. The Compact reflects the desire of the Miami Beach community to support excellence in the City’s public schools and currently addresses and supports the following priority areas: Teacher Recruitment/Retention; Communication; Parental Involvement/Family Support; Youth and Community Engagement; Health and Well-Being; Student Achievement; Safety; and Technology.
On April 15, 2015, the Mayor and the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2015-28997, which directed the Administration to expand the Compact to address the following areas: Early Learning; Extracurricular/Choice Offerings; and Afterschool Programming.
On December 14, 2016, the Mayor and the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2016-29660 to support a partnership with Common Threads programming in an amount not to exceed $ 18,925.77. Common Threads offers youth and families hands-on cooking programs and nutrition education.
On April 11, 2018, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2018-30259, approving recommendations made by the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (" FCWPC") to implement educational enhancements and activities in the City's public schools for the 2018-2019 school year and subsequent school years including afterschool activities at Biscayne Beach Elementary School and Miami Beach Fienberg/Fisher K-8 Center, in an amount not to exceed $60,000.
On October 16, 2019 the Mayor and Commission passed Resolution No. 2019—31014 to amend Resolution No. 2018-30259 expanding the scope of afterschool activities currently funded by the City, in the annual amount of $60,000, to include Miami Beach Senior High school as a participating school to support the Miami Beach Senior High School Rock Ensemble in an amount not to exceed $10,000.
On November 18, 2020 Resolution No. 2020-31481 was passed to amend Resolution No. 2019-31014 and Resolution No. 2018-30259, in order to expand the scope of afterschool activities currently funded by the City, in the annual amount of $60,000, to include Speech and Debate at Miami Beach Senior High School, in an additional amount not to exceed $3,600.00 per year.
On January 13, 2021, Resolution No. 2021-31537 was passed to authorize the City to accept donations to support the City of Miami Beach afterschool Rock Ensemble enrichment program, to be utilized by the City of Miami Beach's afterschool enrichment Rock Ensemble program at Miami Beach Senior High School, and appropriate the said donations to the City's Education Compact Fund for use exclusively to support the City's Rock Ensemble afterschool enrichment program.
On March 9, 2023 Resolution No. 2022-32064 was passed and adopted to provide funding for the Miami Beach Senior High School Rock Ensemble afterschool program, through a grant to Young Musicians Unite, Inc. for the 2021-22 school year, in an amount not to exceed $30,000; and authorize the City Manager and City Clerk to execute a grant agreement for the 2021-22 school year, retroactive to the beginning of the school year (August 23, 2021 ); and further authorize funding for subsequent school years, in an amount not to exceed $30,000 per fiscal year, subject to funding approval during the City's annual budgetary process.
At the June 28, 2023, City Commission meeting the City Commission approved Resolution No. 2023-32632, a grant in the total amount of $10,000 to the Winsome Bolt Art Program, as part of the Sunflower Society, to provide art education at Miami Beach Fienberg Fisher K-8 during the 2023-24 school year and allocate a $10,000 grant for art education programming at Miami Beach Fienberg Fisher K-8 as part of the City's budget process annually.