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