Miami-Dade, Broward school superintendents proud of new school grades

MIAMI - Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres says he's proud of new data from the state Department of Education showing significant improvements in the grades of Miami-Dade Public Schools.

His sentiments are echoed by Vickie Cartwright, the Superintendent of Broward Public Schools, where the new results also show improvements.

The new data is good news coming out of the Pandemic when there were concerns about learning loss and performance by students.

Among highlights, 99.5% of Miami-Dade schools earned an A, B or C school grade and 77% of schools earned A or B grades compared with 58% statewide. The percentage of A schools increased from 46% in 2018-19 to 54% in this latest school year.

The results show how well schools are doing and they are based on 10 components including student achievement and graduation rates.

Dotres told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "I am extremely proud of being Superintendent of this school district. This is a journey of continuing improvements. This is a recognition of all the work done by everyone including the teachers and the students."

School Board member Perla Tabares Hantman said, "This speaks volumes about our excellent teacher and our wonderful students and parents."

School Board Vice-Chairman Steve Gallon III said, "We stand here and we are risen amid all these obstacles we face in the county. We are risen."

School Board member Dorothy Bendross-MIndingall commended the work of the students, parents and business leaders.

School Board member Mari Tere Rojas said, "This is an amazing victory. This is teamwork and dreamwork."

In Broward, the Department of Education showed that 45% of the schools remained or improved to an "A." And 55% of the schools remained or improved to an "A" or "B." The results showed that 79% remained or improved to an "A," "B," or "C."

Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright said she was "incredibly grateful" to see the new results and called it "amazing news." She also said, "We know we still have work to do and are committed to the individual sites."

Statewide, 20% of elementary schools improved their grades in 2022 and 100% of schools graded "F" in 2019 improved their grades in 2022. The number of "D" or "F" schools declined 65% since 2015.

The number of "F" schools declined 85% since 2015 and all of them improved their grades.