SUPPORTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CAREER READINESS
Summer Youth Internship Program: The program has enrolled over 3,100 at-risk youth ages 15-18 in internships during the 2023 Summer Youth Internship Program. The program seeks to provide diverse internship placement opportunities through the recruitment of a wide array of employers throughout Miami-Dade County. Student participants will receive a stipend of $1,500 and are required to report to their internship assignment 30 hours per week for five (5) weeks. They also will earn high school course credits and an opportunity to earn college credits.
Cultural Passport: An educational initiative, in partnership with Miami-Dade’s various arts and cultural institutions, that provides all K-12 students with a different age-appropriate cultural experience each school year. In the 2022-23 School Year, the Cultural Passport program served over 135,000 M-DCPS Students.
Mini-grants for Schools: An annual mini-grant competition for schools to implement innovative educational activities that foster academic achievement. Nine grants have been awarded across the district each year. $27,000 of our dollars fund the Teacher Mini-Grants every year.
Student Scholarships: Through the Posse Foundation and the College Assistance Program, deserving students will receive college scholarships. We also raised $90,000 to support the FNEI Scholarship, which awarded a $1,300.00 scholarship to graduating M-DCPS seniors in the 2022 school year.
EMPOWERING FAMILIES AND ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
The Parent Academy: A year-round initiative providing free classes and workshops for parents at more than 200 sites. The Parent Academy helps parents become full partners in their child’s education and to be engaged in their academic success. The goal of this program is to provide educational excellence for all of our children by informing parents about the importance of their roles, connecting families with schools and resources, and giving parents a fuller sense of their rights, responsibilities, and the educational opportunities available.
Needy Families/Needy Schools: Referrals, funds and other types of aid for needy students and their families in crisis. The Shop at M-DCPS provides resources for families and students that include: clothing, shoes, backpacks, school supplies, toiletries, personal items and non-perishable food.
Project UP-START: An initiative that assists homeless students with school enrollment, transportation, free lunch, and case management. Additionally, through donations and support, resources for homeless students and their families are made available for new school uniforms, gift cards, and payment of senior events such as Prom and Grad Bash.
Superintendent’s 5K Challenge - Race for Education: The Foundation for New Education Initiatives (FNEI) and Miami-Dade County Public Schools' Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho team up each year to host the Superintendent's 5K Challenge - Race for Education benefiting local public schools. FNEI donates a percentage of race proceeds to participating schools based on the number or participants each school team registers.
CONNECTING TECHNOLOGY AND LEARNING
STEAM Labs: Schools compete to receive “STEAM School” designation and with processes that are aimed at improving their overall math and science scores. Participating schools that have earned the STEAM designation may be considered to receive a STEAM Lab.
Ray of Hope Computer Labs: Through the Ray of Hope Foundation, middle schools will receive a complete computer lab.
ENDOWMENT FUNDS
Francis A. Metcalfe Scholarship Fund: Provides assistance with college expenses to children of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees organization (AFSCME) and who are graduates of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. This scholarship is awarded to two deserving students every year.