Though a gateway to a new America, Miami-Dade County is beleaguered by educational and economic inequality. Corps members play a critical role in this region’s educational reform movement.

Miami-Dade

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Schools

The Miami-Dade County Public School System (M-DCPS) is the country's fourth largest, serving over 360,000 students in more than 350 schools. Although test scores have risen for certain subsets of students in recent years, Miami-Dade students are still very far from reaching standard levels of proficiency statewide and trail other students nationwide. In the 2007 administration of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), only 49 percent of students met the established standards for reading, and only 59 percent met the established standards for math.

Like their fellow corps members across the country, Miami-Dade corps members work relentlessly to ensure their students' academic success. Our county’s lowest performing schools, in particular, can be extremely challenging because of their high-stakes testing environment that is often characterized by constant change and extensive professional requirements. Corps members in our schools work to ensure that their instruction is appropriately rigorous and that their students are truly able to compete on a level playing field with their more affluent peers across the county.

 

At a Glance

School Districts:
Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population Served
76% African-American
<1% Caucasian
23% Latino/Hispanic
<1% Asian-American
<1% Native American
<1% Other

Ethnic Breakdown-Miami-Dade
20% African-American
18% Caucasian
61% Latino/Hispanic
2% Asian-American
<1% Native American
<1% Other

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
90%

Placements
42% elementary teachers
58% secondary teachers
K-12 grade level placements
  • general subject elementary
  • specific subject secondary
  • special education
74% of corps members teach at a school with another corps member/alumna