Education Advisory Board

This Education Advisory Board is to provide input and guidance to the City Council in regard to all matters relating to the operation, maintenance, and future development of education and educational facilities within the City.

The duties and responsibilities of the board shall be as follows in all matters relating to the educational facilities located within the City:

  • To perform all tasks, studies, or activities as may be directed by the City Council
  • To make recommendations to the City Council in regard to the operation, maintenance and future development of any and all educational facilities located within the City
  • To conduct meetings to solicit the ideas and opinions of citizens, educators, educational administrators, and all other knowledgeable persons
  • To secure information, data, and exhibits to assist the City Council
  • To provide the City Council with suggestions for new educational facilities, projects or programs

Meetings are regularly attended by the principals of our four public schools, a MDCPS region representative and other school district officials as appropriate to address particular agenda items. Also in attendance are representatives from each PTA, and from our sister cities, Hialeah and Virginia Gardens. Students and other citizens are also encouraged to attend and speak to the issues being discussed.

The EAB has assisted the City commission in numerous major events in public education in Miami Springs.  The EAB has insisted on prioritizing and improving the schools’ academic excellence as well as student safety. Community support for the principals’ efforts in these areas has been crucial and the City, through the Educational Advisory Board, has provided that support. The EAB also supported extending the bilingual BISO program at Springview to the Middle School, and has essentially served as an advocate to ensure that Miami Springs school repairs and improvements are addressed by the district. These are significant accomplishments given the budget priorities and challenges of the school system! The EAB works with the community to increase student internships and business support of the schools, to expand recreational and extracurricular activities, to implement strategies to increase the graduation rate, and students’ civic engagement in the city through a youth leadership council, youth leadership and service-learning opportunities.

The EAB has enjoyed tremendous support from both the school district and the City commission and looks forward to working with Council in a positive collaboration with the school district to continue to improve the schools. Anyone who has a student in a Miami Springs school is very welcome to attend the meetings to offer suggestions or to bring to the Board’s attention an issue that needs to be addressed. 

Highlights:

  • In 2008, the EAB initiated and led the City’s development of an Education Compact with the School Board. This document provides a blueprint for future EABs and City Councils to continue to build on existing programs and innovative ideas which will enhance the lifelong educational opportunities for the entire community.
  • Played an instrumental role in urging and collaborating with the school district over several years to build another high school in Hialeah, now Westland-Hialeah High School, to reduce the population at Springs Senior instead of greatly expanding it. 
  • EAB/City commission accomplishment involved changing the boundaries of Springview Elementary and Lorah Park Elementary. As a result, all children in Miami Springs are now assigned to a Miami Springs school.
  • EAB accomplished school repairs including a new gymnasium, auditorium, and additional bathrooms at Miami Springs High School, and a state-of the-art media center and computer lab at Springview Elementary                                  

Established: 2001

Meetings: Quarterly (1st Thursday of March, May, September and November.)

Size: 5 members (Chairperson & 4 Members)

Term: 2 years