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Board committee hears how SmartPath grant targets existing programs; district to sustain CS certification training despite state cut
Summary
Administration said the SmartPath Connect funding expands an existing Ed Fund program concentrated in City of Miami schools with later additions and third‑party evaluation; staff said a state cut reduced computer‑science teacher‑certification funding but the district will continue training through vendors and partnerships with Miami Dade College and FIU.
At the Jan. 7 committee meeting, district staff described the SmartPath Connect‑to‑college grant as an expansion of an existing program organized through the Education Fund and initially focused on four City of Miami schools. Miss Diaz said the Helios funder typically issues invitation‑only grants and prefers to invest in programming with demonstrated success; the recently awarded funds will extend support over approximately three and a half years and add one northern and one southern county school to the cohort.
"They look for programming that is already semi successful... this is an additional layer of funding to try to expand and do more with the program that was already there," Miss Diaz said.
Board members pressed for clarity on selection criteria and evaluation metrics. Board member Santos emphasized the importance of measuring outcomes such as FAFSA completion and college enrollment and welcomed the presence of a third‑party evaluator in the grant design.
On a separate grant item, Miss Diaz said the computer‑science teacher‑certification program faced a state funding reduction this year but that the district partners with vendors (Miami EdTech, CodeART), Miami Dade College and Florida International University to train teachers and prepare them for certification and industry credentials.
Why it matters: The SmartPath expansion is intended to increase college‑access supports in targeted schools; board members asked staff to look for ways to identify and scale similar grants for broader district coverage. Administration said it will return with implementation detail and acknowledged geographic gaps in program reach.
What’s next: Board members requested follow‑up on grant selection and evaluation criteria and asked staff to seek additional supports to broaden reach across the district.
