HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-046-1228 - Excellence in Education
City of Miami Gardens Agenda Cover Memo Council Meeting Date: February 24, 2010 Item Type: (Enter X in box) Resolution Ordinance Other X Fiscal Impact: (Enter X in box) Yes No Ordinance
Reading: (Enter X in box) 1st Reading 2nd Reading X Public Hearing: (Enter X in box) Yes No Yes No Funding Source: General FundLegislative Advertising Requirement: (Enter X in box) Yes
No Contract/P.O. Required: (Enter X in box) Yes No RFP/RFQ/Bid #: X Sponsor Name Mayor Shirley Gibson Department: Mayor and Council Short Title: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE MIAMI GARDENS “EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION COUNCIL CONCEPT;” AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY TO TAKE ANY AND ALL STEPS NECESSARY
TO CREATE A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION WHOSE PURPOSE IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS EDUCATION COMPACT; PROVIDING FOR FUNDING OF TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($25,000.00)
IN FISCAL YEAR 2009-2010; PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE Staff Summary: Background The City of Miami Gardens and Miami Dade Public Schools
first adopted the Miami Gardens Education Compact of April 18, 2007. While this document was an important first step towards improving the quality of schools in the City of Miami Gardens,
the plan was broad and lacked the specificity to effectuate change. In the months after the formal adoption of this plan, staff from the Miami Dade Public Schools and the City of Miami
Gardens met in an attempt to place some tangible action steps to this plan. While well intentioned, it became clear that without the decision makers at the table it would be difficult
to effectuate true policy changes that would be meaningful to both parties. ITEM K-3) RESOLUTION Excellence in Education Council Concept
1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 During the summer of 2008, the City of Miami Gardens engaged the services of the Florida International University
Metropolitan Center to assist the City and School Board in a true community based process to create an action plan for the success of schools. This process was based on the concept that
the only way to improve the quality of education in the City of Miami Gardens is to engage all of the community stakeholders in the process. On June 17, 2008, the City of Miami Gardens
and the Miami‐Dade County Public Schools held the First Education Compact Design Fair at St. Thomas University. The purpose of this event was to present the overall goals of the Education
Compact and to engage the various stakeholders. At the Design Fair, four subcommittees formed to tackle the task of further defining the Education Compact: Improving Academic Programs,
Community Involvement, Coordination of Infrastructure and Administrative Planning Efforts, and and School Safety Issues. Each group, moderated by an FIU Metropolitan Center representative,
met separately throughout the summer months and into September. The result was a comprehensive action plan to improve education in the City of Miami Gardens. Current Situation: Since
the summer of 2008, there has been a successful push in the community to support the Education Compact. Mayor Gibson has worked with local churches to facilitate the adoption of several
local schools. To date, over $100,000 has been pledged from various businesses to support the executive PASS program in the city. Unfortunately, since the summer of 2008, Miami Dade
County Public Schools and the City of Miami Gardens have faced budgetary challenges. These budgetary constraints have slowed the commitment of resources from both the City and the School
Board in support of Education Compact initiatives. Even in light of these issues, the problem of education has remained at the forefront of discussions in the City and was a large part
of the 2009 Strategic Planning process. At the January 27, 2010, meeting the City Council adopted the City’s Five Year Strategic Plan, in which the Council developed six major objectives;
one adopted objectives was to improve the quality of education in the City of Miami Gardens. As in all major initiatives, the major challenges in implementing this objective and the
action steps listed in the Education Compact are labor and funding. In an effort to address these challenges, Mayor Shirley Gibson is proposing the creation of an independent 501‐c3
organization whose sole purpose is the implementation of the City of Miami Gardens Education Compact. The 501‐c3 would be named The Miami Gardens Excellence in Education Council, and
the proposed structure is as follows: • Structure: The organization would be an independent entity separate and apart from the City of Miami Gardens. • Governance: The organization would
be run by a Board of Directors appointed by the City of Miami Gardens City Council and Miami Dade County Public School system. The day‐to‐day operations of the Board would be managed
by an Executive Director; with policy decisions being made by an Executive Committee comprised of members of the larger Board of Directors. • Purpose: To improve the quality of education
in the City of Miami Gardens through the implementation of the Miami Gardens Education Compact • Board of Directors: The Board of Directors would be made up of local business leaders,
high‐ranking local educators, City representative(s) and School Board Representation. While the main mission of the board will be to improve education in the City, Board members are
expected to advocate and raise money to support the organization’s mission.
1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 • Funding: The City of Miami Gardens would provide support to the organization in three ways: • Initial financial
support through a direct allocation of general fund dollars for no more than three years FY 09‐10: $25,000 FY 10‐11: $75,000 FY 11‐12: $75,000 Estimated General Fund Impact $175,000
• Initial in‐kind support by providing office space, and staff time to assist with the start‐up • Recurring support through the pledge of 20% of the net proceeds gained from the City’s
Annual Jazz in the Gardens festival. The attached resolution is requesting that the City Council approve the Miami Gardens Excellence in Education Council concept, directs the City Manager
and City Attorney to take any and all steps necessary to create the 501c3 organization, and approves the general fund allocation of $25,000 in FY 09‐10 to support the partial year staffing
and start‐up costs. Proposed Action: That the City Council adopt the attached resolution approving the Miami Gardens Excellence in Education Council Concept; directing the City Manager
and City Attorney to take any and all steps necessary to create the 501c3 organization; and allocating $25,000 from the General Fund in FY 09‐10 to support the partial year staffing
and start‐up costs. Attachment: None