It’s October and an important window of opportunity is open in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M- DCPS) for students and their parents. Now through Jan. 15, applications are being accepted for students to enroll in the district’s cutting-edge magnet programs.
In Miami-Dade County Public Schools we are custom-building our educational programs to meet the individualized needs of students and provide them with specialized resources to ensure they have every chance to succeed academically.
Through the vision and leadership of the superintendent and school board, the school district offers dy- namic magnet programs designed to meet the needs of the greatest number of students at public schools across Miami-Dade County. The development and ef- fectiveness of new magnet pro- grams and schools has been directly tied to demand-driven reform in Miami-Dade.
In a move that makes the most of existing resources without incurring additional costs, transportation administrators have created a series of Flex Stops to accommodate magnet students who do not live within a designated transportation zone. Stu- dents can be transported using ex- isting buses on existing routes, provided seats are available, with no additional cost to parents or the district. Flex Stops are available in selected areas where they are an asset to students and families.
This year, there are 16 new magnet programs at 12 schools in the areas of science, mathematics, multimedia entertainment, technology, legal studies and visual arts. There are also 37 choice programs at 30 schools, including Advanced Place- ment, Capstone Diploma, Cam- bridge, International, and Cyber-security.
Other new magnet programs include: Robotics and Visual Arts; Medical Health Sciences; Engineer- ing, Robotics and Legal studies; Digital Media Technology; Forensic Investigative Academy; Communications; and Global Trade & Logistics.
Magnet Schools of America (MSA), a national organization rep- resenting over 4,000 magnet schools and programs, annually recognizes magnet schools for their commitment to high academic standards, curriculum innovation, successful desegregation/diversity efforts, specialized teaching staffs, and parent community involvement.
In 2015, Miami-Dade County Public Schools received six Schools of Excellence Merit Awards. Additionally, Miami-Dade County magnet schools received 28 Schools of Distinction Merit Awards. In total, Miami-Dade County Public Schools received 34 awards for 2015. For the fourth year in a row, M-DCPS has been awarded more MSA National Merit Awards than any other school district nationwide. In four years, M-DCPS schools have been awarded 115 National Merit Awards.
A new magnet application system can be accessed at <www.miami- magnets.org> which will be available in multiple languages. This new tool simplifies the application process, in- creases parental access to informa- tion, enhances communication throughout the process, and offers how-to video guides. For additional information, please call 305-995- 1922 or visit our website.
The window of opportunity is open! Explore and enjoy these stimulating new educational choices designed for your child.
