HISTORY:
At the March 1, 2017, City Commission meeting, the Commission referred an item to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (FCWPC) to examine options that may be available to the City to provide supplemental funding for enhancements and other support for public schools within the City’s geographical boundaries including, but not limited to, proposing a one cent (0.01) tax on food and beverage transactions. A companion item was also referred to the Neighborhoods/Community Affairs Committee (NCAC), to hold a discussion regarding a governance structure with respect to the manner in which any such supplemental City funds to support public schools should be spent or used. During the March 31, 2017 FCWPC meeting, members recommended the creation of a non-profit charitable 501(c)(3) entity to raise funds for public education within the City. At the April 26, 2017, City Commission meeting, the Commission approved through Resolution No. 2017-29726, the formation of a 501(c)(3) organization to fund Miami Beach public schools for educational enhancements.
On January 8, 2008, the City entered into an Education Compact (the “Compact”) with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). See Attachment A. Developed with significant community input, the Compact reflects the desire of the Miami Beach community to support excellence in its schools and an investment in the overall enhancement of education for its residents. The Compact 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.
In Resolution No. 2015-28997, the City Commission directed the Administration to expand the Compact to address the following areas: Early Learning; Extracurricular/Choice Offerings; and Afterschool Programming.
Since then, the City has entered into contracts with M-DCPS and other organizations for the following initiatives: Voluntary Pre-kindergarten (VPK) at Fienberg Fisher K-8 Center and Biscayne Elementary; Dual Enrollment Expansion through partnerships with Florida International University and Miami-Dade College at Miami Beach Senior High School and Nautilus Middle School; and Afterschool Teen Program at Nautilus Middle School.
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. 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 $936,000 has been expended for application fees, professional development for teachers, and other youth related activities including dual enrollment, Nurse Initiative, Common Threads, and LCSW Mental Health Services (not including Voluntary Pre-K), for an additional $489,000 for the first three years.[1] The following is the status of implementation for each IB program:
- 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.
- 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 re-authorization.
- Primary Years Program (PYP): South Pointe, North Beach, Biscayne, Fienberg Fisher, and Treasure Island Elementary are authorized IB schools as of February 2013. All schools have obtained their re-authorization.
City Education Funding
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016/17, the City’s expenditures to support and enhance educational programming in Miami Beach public schools amount to approximately $514,000, offset by approximately $100,000 in dedicated funding through the Education Compact Fund and contributions and $279,000 in General Fund support. In FY 2017/18, these expenditures are anticipated to cost $434,000, offset by approximately $100,000 in dedicated funding through the Education Compact Fund and $195,000 from the parking garage ad funds for FY18.
These efforts have been supported by drawing of prior year available balances in the Education Compact Fund, an approach that is not sustainable for the long term. Based on initiatives already underway, there is a need for an additional $300,000 recurring annually, above the funding available for the Compact. It is also worth noting that at least 50 percent of the City’s Chief Learning Officer’s time is spent in implementing these initiatives, and the cost of this effort (estimated at $92,500), is not included in these estimates.
In addition, the Pilot School Bus Transportation Program, which started in August 2017 for one semester at two elementary schools, is estimated to cost $50,000, funded by the Transportation Fund. If the Pilot Program is successful, and expanded year round-to all public schools, the costs for a school bus transportation program could easily grow to $500,000 per year.
Based on existing initiatives alone, the Administration has identified a need for $400,000 to $1 million in additional annual funding.
[1] The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Education Foundation has also donated $80,620 as of March 2017 to partially fund IB related expenses for the City’s IB authorized public schools.
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