Miami-Dade County Public Schools Enters Into a Three-year Agreement with Cambridge International Examinations for an Expansion of Cambridge Programs

CAMBRIDGE, England, May 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

On May 22, 2013, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho shared the stage at G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School with Cambridge International Examinations, Chief Executive, Michael O'Sullivan, to announce a three-year expansion of Cambridge Programs.  

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is breaking ground in international collaboration by entering into an agreement with Cambridge International Examinations, part of the University of Cambridge in the UK.  M-DCPS will become the first school district in the United States to build such a relationship.  

Over the next three years, M-DCPS will roll out 80 Cambridge Programs in 70 schools, including the Cambridge Primary Program in elementary schools, the Cambridge Secondary 1 Program in middle schools, and the Cambridge International General Certification of Secondary Education (Cambridge IGCSE) and the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (Cambridge AICE) Diploma Programs in senior high schools. These Cambridge Program schools will complement the 20 existing Cambridge programs currently in 16 M-DCPS schools.

Michael O'Sullivan, Chief Executive, Cambridge International Examinations said, "We know that schools in the US and around the world want to provide their students with the best preparation for the next stage of their education, university and beyond. I'm delighted we have established this agreement with the Miami-Dade which I'm confident will benefit students and teachers"

Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools said: "A Cambridge education will give Miami-Dade County Public Schools students an international advantage, helping to prepare them for college and careers in our increasingly global marketplace." 

Elena Cabrera, Assistant Principal at Ronald Reagan Doral Senior High School in Miami said: "Most of our kids go home to speak languages other than English, in families where the parents may not even speak English. With Cambridge we are giving them the best education they could possibly have, equipping them for a future where their first job could be anywhere in the world."

This relationship will continue to highlight this District as a national leader in K - 12 international programs.  At the high school level, Cambridge AICE Diploma Program students at Ronald Reagan/Doral, Miami Lakes Tech, and Braddock have already earned distinction for achieving at the highest level in the United States on Cambridge AICE examinations. Ronald Reagan/Doral Cambridge AICE Diploma candidate, Ricardo Gomez achieved a Top in World Outstanding Learner award in Cambridge International AS Level Spanish Language. The expansion will allow more students throughout the District to reach this level of international distinction.

As part of this agreement, Miami-Dade County Public Schools will offer face-to-face professional development for teachers over the next three years in addition to online teacher training and curriculum support.

With the expansion of Cambridge Programs, Miami-Dade County Public Schools will offer an academic continuum that emphasizes analysis, problem solving, and communication skills.  Students who earn the Cambridge AICE Diploma can be awarded college credit or advanced standing at the university level, in addition to the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.

About Choice School Programs in Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Choice school programs offer unique courses of study focusing on students' special interests, talents, and abilities and are available across the District. Currently, over 52,000 students are enrolled in over 375 magnet and choice programs offered at more than 120 schools district-wide. For more information, visit http://www.yourchoicemiami.org      

About Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International Examinations is the world's largest provider of international education programmes and qualifications for 5 to 19 year olds. For more information visit http://www.cie.org.uk

SOURCE Cambridge International Examinations