| Most of Miami Schools Earn an "A" from the | | | | have the program to be at schools across |
| State of Florida | | | | Miami Schools. The District will begin to |
| | | | intensive students screening to better |
| Fifty-three percent of Miami-Dade's schools - | | | | identify gifted students. This screening will |
| 179 out of 328 receiving grades Wednesday - | | | | begin earlier, in the first grade, and use a |
| received an "A" based on their students' | | | | better screening tool that does not rely on |
| performance on the 2006 Florida Comprehensive | | | | language or verbal abilities. The Naglieri |
| Assessment Test this spring. This is an | | | | Nonverbal Ability Test will be given to all |
| improvement from last year when the | | | | first and third graders and all newly |
| percentage was around forty-six percent. | | | | enrolled students in Miami Schools starting |
| Overall, Miami Schools have scored very well | | | | this school year. Fifth graders will be added |
| in comparison to the whole state. This year, | | | | to the testing next school year. |
| in total seventy-three percent of Miami | | | | |
| Schools scored an "A" or a "B" in 2006 and | | | | This is all part of the Miami School's |
| only six percent received a "D" or "F" in | | | | Revamping Education for Gifted and All |
| this year's testing. The State of Florida | | | | Learners Plan. This Plan lays out the overall |
| began the Florida Comprehensive Assessment | | | | recommendations, timelines and budget for the |
| Test three years. Eighty-seven schools had | | | | successful creation and implementation of the |
| higher grades in 2006 than in 2005, including | | | | improved gifted education program. The Plan |
| 59 percent of middle schools (39 middle | | | | focuses on three areas: gifted education, |
| schools). The number of schools with higher | | | | advanced academic programs, and talent |
| grades in 2006 more than doubled the number | | | | potential among all learners. Some the ways |
| with lower grades. | | | | in which Plan will try to enhance the gifted |
| | | | program include adding school psychologists |
| How the Schools have Improved | | | | and placement specialists to ensure timely |
| | | | evaluations and placements of potentially |
| There are several ways that Miami Schools | | | | gifted students and by providing constant |
| have improved in the 2006 school year. | | | | professional development for teachers, |
| Twenty-two of the thirty-nine middle schools | | | | principals and staff, adding curriculum |
| to receive improving grades have extended the | | | | support specialists, and adding additional |
| school days and gone to a longer school year. | | | | funds where needed. Another part of the Plan |
| Miami Schools have started to increase and | | | | is to increase the level of parental |
| broaden its Gifted Students programs as well. | | | | involvement and support. One way to do so |
| This year the District will make | | | | would be to increase the number of sessions |
| improvements to how gifted students are | | | | for parents through the Parent Academy. A |
| identified and educated. This is a | | | | large feature of the Plan is to provide equal |
| progressive plan that will be implemented | | | | access to all students in Miami Schools. The |
| over the next three years. The goal is to | | | | Plan calls for the delivery of home-based |
| have by 2009 a completely new education | | | | gifted programs in all schools, so that even |
| program that will be of a superior quality | | | | schools with small gifted populations will be |
| and allows greater access to those | | | | able to provide adequate services. |
| underrepresented students. The plan is to | | | | |