Miramar, Broward Schools outline Local Government Academy, K–8 changes for three elementary campuses

City of Miramar staff and Broward County Public Schools officials presented a Local Government Academy (LGA) and related school changes at a Miramar City Commission workshop, outlining a timeline, budget and partnership activities that city and district leaders said aim to build future local-government career pathways.

The workshop, which commissioners said they will consider formally the next day, included a presentation of a nine-through-12 curriculum roll-out planned to begin with ninth graders in the 2025'26 school year, extensions of Coral Cove Elementary's performing-arts program through eighth grade and a school-board decision to convert Silver Shores from a neighborhood K'5 school to a K'8 full-choice program.

Why it matters: City and district officials said the LGA aligns workforce development with projected state employment needs and Miramar's long-term sustainability goals, and that the program will use field trips, internships and a capstone to connect students with municipal operations and local employers.

City manager Dr. Roy Virgen introduced the partnership effort, saying the program "reflects our shared commitment to investing in the future for our students by providing them real work experiences, meaningful career pathways, and valuable connection with our community." Assistant City Manager Sean Gale told commissioners the curriculum is intended to prepare the class of 2029 for local government careers and economic opportunities; "Needless to say, we are at a critical juncture," Gale said.

The LGA is structured in four initial tracks for ninth-grade instruction: public-service leadership ("My City Does What"), experiential project management with financial literacy ("Show Me the Money"), strategic planning and workforce development, and public-service research. City staff described in-kind contributions (staff time, lesson plans and guest speakers) valued at about $38,600 and incremental program costs (uniforms, field trips, transportation, meals, internships, scholarships, end-of-year events and contingencies) estimated at $54,100.

Two field trips are planned in year one: a city operations tour (City Hall, Miramar Regional Park, the Multi-Service Complex and the wastewater reclamation facility) and a "Historic Miramar mini city" tour to show interdepartmental redevelopment projects, city staff said. City staff also described outreach to private-sector partners, including a proposed panel with Sunbeam Properties and area corporate leaders at the Miramar Park of Commerce.

Broward County Public Schools chief strategy officer Valerie Wanza told the commission the school board voted on Jan. 22 to transition Silver Shores from a neighborhood K'5 assignment to a K'8 full-choice school and to reassign some current Silver Shores students to Silver Lakes or Silver Palms based on location. "The board did vote on January 22 to transition Silver Shores from a current neighborhood K'5 school to a full choice district assignment school," Wanza said, describing transportation-zone plans and continued community input on admissions and feeder patterns.

Coral Cove Elementary principal Stephanie Sabin described Coral Cove's performing-arts program, which city and district officials said will expand to include up to eighth grade. "We have a performing arts program that is unique in West Miramar," Sabin said, and she invited commission support and community engagement.

Approval steps and research requirements: City staff said BCPS accepted the preliminary eight-lesson curriculum "without any edits." Because the LGA will be used as part of ongoing research by two city staff who are doctoral students at Nova Southeastern University, the project requires Institutional Review Board approvals at both NSU and BCPS before implementation, staff said. Staff reported that biweekly planning meetings began Jan. 6, 2025, and that a progress report and program assessment are expected in spring 2026.

Several commissioners praised the effort as a way to strengthen Miramar schools and community engagement. Commissioner Chambers said community turnout for the BCPS redefining meetings made a difference and urged continued mayoral and public participation. Commissioner Culver and others noted the program's potential to create long-term public-sector career pipelines.

Next steps: City staff said a commission resolution in support of the partnership will appear on the commission's agenda the following evening; the presentation materials note the LGA is scheduled to launch in the 2025'26 academic year at Everglades and Miramar high schools pending IRB and BCPS approvals.

Additional context: Gale cited the Center for Labor Research and Studies at Florida International University's State of Working Florida 2022 report to justify attention to local workforce needs and identified trade/transportation, professional/business services, health care/social assistance, leisure/hospitality and government as high-employment sectors in Florida through 2029.

No formal City Commission vote was taken at the workshop; officials characterized the session as presentation and discussion in advance of the resolution on the regular-meeting agenda the next day.