Board debates concise wording for district 'why' and portrait of a graduate
Summary
Board members and staff discussed draft 'why' statements and the portrait of a graduate, favoring succinct language that emphasizes civic engagement, adaptability and whole‑child development; staff will refine wording and return at the next leadership touchpoint.
Miami‑Dade County Public Schools staff presented four draft “why” statements and invited the board to comment on the district’s core purpose and the portrait of a graduate at the Oct. 20 workshop.
Board members broadly supported a concise, unifying statement that could be used as a rallying slogan while preserving more detailed elements elsewhere in the plan. Board Member Alonso said he favored language that explicitly includes civic engagement: “I love number 4. We educate not only to prepare for college and career, but for citizenship and civic engagement, empowering students to think critically, act ethically, equipping every learner to lead with empathy, creativity, and purpose in an ever changing world.” Vice Chair Monica Colucci and other members suggested merging overlapping elements such as purpose, community belonging and adaptability into a single concise statement.
Participants debated whether the “why” should explicitly name “citizenship” given the district’s diverse student population; several members suggested alternatives such as “service,” “love and respect for humanity,” or language that emphasizes preparation for multiple pathways (college, careers, industry credentials). Board Member Gallen urged language that prepares students “for the real world” and stressed that not all graduates will follow the same pathway.
The superintendent and staff framed the portrait of a graduate as an anchor for strategy and measurement. Ramirez described the portrait this way: “The portrait of a graduate represents our collective vision for the skills, traits, and attributes that every MDCPS student needs to thrive after graduation.” Several board members recommended keeping the final “why” concise so it can be readily communicated; Board Member Espino compared the goal to branding campaigns that use short, memorable slogans.
Staff said the next step is to synthesize board feedback, run a follow‑up thought‑exchange survey if useful, and return with refined language in a subsequent workshop. Tiffany Pauline said staff would continue one‑on‑one discussions and bring a tighter draft forward for the December (or early January) leadership session. The superintendent summarized a theme raised during the meeting when he read a line attributed to Dr. Gallon: “Progress should inspire us, not pacify us.”
No final “why” or portrait language was adopted at the workshop; staff will refine draft language for board review at upcoming touchpoints.
