As part of the City’s Education Compact, the City supports excellence in education in the City’s public schools recognizing it is an investment in the overall enhancement of education for residents. facilitate discussions with the Miami Beach Chamber and other appropriate organizations to identify funding for annual International Baccalaureate Program operating costs that include required annual fees, ongoing teacher training, coordinator supplements, books, extra teaching period supplements, and annual exam registration and fee per student for the Diploma Program. Developed with significant community input, the Compact reflects the desire of the Miami Beach community to support excellence in their schools and an investment in the overall enhancement of education for its residents. The areas of focus in our Compact include: teacher recruitment and retention, enhanced communication of education and community events, family involvement and support as well as engaging youth and community, increase the health and well-being of students, enhance student achievement, improve safety and perceptions of safety in our schools, and improve access to technology. Enhanced student achievement includes a seamless curriculum of advanced studies through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program from Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. To date, approximately $746,692 has been expended for application fees, professional development for teachers, and other youth related activities. The following is the status of implementation for each IB program:
Ø Diploma Program (DP): Miami Beach Senior High is authorized to teach the IB Diploma Program as of Fall 2010. As an IB World School, approximately 82 percent of those eligible in 2012 , 89 percent of those eligible in 2013, 62 percent of those eligible in 2014, 73 percent of those eligible in 2015, and 83 percent of those in 2016 received the IB Diploma. Currently there are 115 students in the tenth grade and 100 students in ninth grade seeking the IB Diploma, a 765 percent increase since program inception.
Ø Middle Years Program (MYP): Nautilus Middle School and Fienberg Fisher K-8 are authorized to teach the IB MYP Program and attained authorization in 2011. Both have obtained their five-year reauthorization.
Ø Primary Years Program (PYP): South Pointe, North Beach, Biscayne, Fienberg Fisher, and Treasure Island Elementary are authorized IB schools as of February 2013. Fienberg Fisher K-8 Center and Biscayne Elementary have obtained their five-year reauthorization.
CHAMBER SUPPORT
Over the past several years, the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce has been working with the City of Miami Beach and the City’s public schools, to support various components of the Education Compact.
On January 6, 2009, the City made a presentation to the Chamber outlining additional needs to support the IB programs in Miami Beach Schools. The Chamber understood that as each school is authorized, annual fees and professional development of staff are required to maintain the IB programs. As a result, the Miami Beach Chamber’s Education Foundation has donated $70,620 as of April 2016 to partially fund IB related expenses for the City’s IB authorized public schools.