M-DCPS Awarded $15M Grant to Create More Inclusive Magnet Programs, Enhance STEAM Learning

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has been awarded a $15 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP). The primary goal of the MSAP grant is to eliminate, reduce, or prevent minority-group isolation in elementary and secondary schools while strengthening students’ academic achievement. M-DCPS was selected as one of 19 recipients in a competitive process to fund three new K-8 schoolwide magnet programs that will offer a fully inclusive program of study.

The School Choice and Parental Options office will re-envision two existing K-8 centers, Thomas Jefferson Biscayne Gardens K-8 Academy and Bowman Foster Ashe/Doolin K-8 Academy, and re-envision Citrus Grove Elementary and Citrus Grove Middle schools into a new K-8 center.

Each K-8 STArts2 Project school will engage students in Science, Technology, and the Arts with a focus on Digital Music Production Exploration and Innovation. The project is designed to increase academic rigor, inspire interest in STEAM careers, and promote higher academic achievement by creating a fully inclusive schoolwide magnet which will serve all boundary and magnet applicant students in grades K-8 without distinction. The rigorous STArts2 programs establish K-8 STEAM curricular pipelines for students accessing general, advanced, and access points STEAM curricula.

A first-of-its-kind, the STArts2 Project makes M-DCPS history by explicitly extending access and individualized academic support for students in Exceptional Student Education and English language learners to thrive in a school of their choice. Through criteria-free program eligibility, all students, regardless of ability or proficiency, will be eligible to participate in STEAM Magnet learning.

The STArts2 Project will nurture creativity and 21st century skills development through classroom interaction, remote and/or blended learning collaboration, and experiential place-based learning opportunities. Authentic and collaborative learning will be facilitated by applying research-based instructional practices that engage students in hands-on and place-based learning at partner-sites to enrich the value of STEAM education for students and foster an early foundation of interest in STEAM careers. Project partners include Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens, Florida International University, Amazon Web Services; International Process Service (music production consultants), and Discovery Education.

For more information contact the Office of School Choice and Parental Options at miamimagnets.org or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @miamimagnets.