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Three-Year Effort to Reach 800 Students in Four Schools, and Provide a Model for High-Need Classrooms
Grant Unveiled as New Report Highlights Miami’s Education Achievements and Challenges, Providing Forward-Thinking Solutions
The Partnership for Miami (PFM) today announced a nearly $2 million commitment to expand The Lucy Project’s (TLP) successful early literacy program, the Literacy Hub, across Miami-Dade County. The initiative is anchored by a $1 million lead gift from Citadel founder and CEO Kenneth C. Griffin and Griffin Catalyst, along with major gifts from Robert and Melly Sanchez, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Leslie Miller Saiontz. Over the next three years, The Lucy Project’s evidence-based “Structured Literacy” approach will reach four schools, supporting 800 students from kindergarten through 2nd grade, strengthening Miami’s education ecosystem.
Research demonstrates that students who finish 3rd grade without reading proficiency rarely catch up. The Lucy Project’s model provides a way to change this trajectory through classroom-tested strategies.
The Literacy Hub was piloted with kindergarten students at Norwood Elementary, a Title I Miami-Dade County Public School (M-DCPS) in Miami Gardens. Reading proficiency rose from 52% to 91% in one year, and a record number of kindergarteners were accepted into the Gifted Education Program. Behind these gains were M-DCPS teachers, who partnered with The Lucy Project to strengthen evidence-based Structured Literacy practices to provide the tailored support students needed to thrive.
“In a world where literacy is the gateway to lifelong opportunity, our children deserve learning approaches that unlock their full potential,” said Raul Moas, President of Partnership for Miami. “The Lucy Project partners with teachers to deepen evidence-based Structured Literacy instruction and small group differentiation.”
“We are incredibly grateful to the Partnership for Miami for recognizing the urgency of the city’s literacy crisis and for bringing leaders together to pursue impactful solutions,” said Sandra Bermudez, Founder of The Lucy Project. “This grant strengthens our data-backed approach to early reading, grounded in the science of reading, and demonstrates the change that’s possible when we work together.”
The initiative includes three years of teacher training and small-group support at Auburndale Elementary, Beacon College Prep, Florida City Elementary and Norwood Elementary, followed by school-led implementation with independent research to track and validate results.
“Miami is our home, and we believe its future depends on the strength of its schools and the success of its children,” said Robert Sanchez, Partnership for Miami board member and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ryder System, Inc. “Our commitment reflects our belief in The Lucy Project and in Miami’s potential to lead the way in improving literacy outcomes.”
Reaffirming this commitment to bold action on behalf of the 340,000 K-12 students served by public schools in Miami-Dade County, the Partnership is also releasing its first major report on expanding high-quality education across the county.
“Every child in Miami deserves a high-quality school that prepares them for the future,” said Ana-Marie Codina, Partnership for Miami Co-Chair and CEO of Codina Partners. “Our report, Beyond the Grade: A Close Look at Miami’s K-12 System, gives an honest assessment of our strengths and challenges, and points toward forward-thinking solutions that can set our students and our city up for long-term success.”
Key findings from the report include:
- High Marks with Challenges: Miami-Dade County Public Schools have earned an “A” rating for six years, yet only 41% of students are proficient in English Language Arts (ELA) in 3rd-10th and Math 3rd-8th.
- Achievement Gaps: Miami outperformed nearly all large cities on the 2024 NAEP assessment but in 8th grade Math only 22% of students scored at or above proficient and in 8th grade Reading just 28% achieved that level.
- Success is Possible: Only 41% of 3rd-10th public school students are proficient in English Language Arts and Math in 3rd-8th yet over 80% of students at Miami’s highest performing public schools are at proficient or advanced levels.
To download the full Beyond the Grade: A Close Look at Miami’s K-12 System report, visit partnershipformiami.com/beyond-the-grade-miami-k-12.
For an abbreviated look at data points from the report, click here.
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ABOUT PARTNERSHIP FOR MIAMI
As business leaders acting in the civic interest, the Partnership for Miami facilitates thoughtful collaborations among partners in the private and public sectors to build a Miami that works for everyone. Together with grassroots organizations, researchers, policymakers and philanthropists the Partnership develops research and implements solutions in the areas critical to Miami’s long-term success: education, transit & infrastructure and housing & affordability.
For more information, please visit partnershipformiami.com.
ABOUT THE LUCY PROJECT
The Lucy Project is a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring every child has access to high quality literacy instruction, regardless of zip code. Grounded in the Science of Reading, we provide daily structured literacy intervention to students in underserved communities, support their teachers with coaching and professional development, and offer fee based services through our Literacy Ladder Kids program. Our school wide model is offered at no cost to Title I public schools and builds lasting capacity by helping teachers differentiate instruction and grow into literacy specialists. Through in school and after school programs, summer learning, and training opportunities, The Lucy Project is closing the literacy gap one student, one classroom, and one school at a time. We believe reading is a right, not a privilege, and that literacy levels the playing field for all children.
For more information, please visit lucyproject.org
