The Entry Point to a Smart Education System
As part of a broad effort to elevate a city out of poverty, the City of Miami and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools partnered to launch the Rites of Passage Initiative, which uses technology as a vehicle for growth at every life stage.

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In 2005, Diaz and the new superintendent of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Rudy F. Crew, announced the Education Compact, a commitment to join forces to ensure that all students graduate ready for college or work. One innovative point of collaboration has been the Rites of Passage Initiative, linking students, schools, and families with Elevate Miami. A “cradle to grave” approach, Rites of Passage aims to establish public and private partnerships to facilitate technology literacy and access at every life stage and to prepare all of Miami’s residents for leadership in the global economy.

The Rites of Passage initiative builds on the success of Elevate Miami by helping students acquire technical skills and competencies that will allow them to integrate the use of technology at every point in life. The centerpiece of Rites of Passage is the middle school program, which provides a free home computer to sixth-grade students who successfully complete a life-skills course, developed by teachers, which is centered on technology. Students must also maintain their grades and attendance. To stress the importance of parental involvement, the program also includes a required parent workshop.

For high school students, the Rites of Passage program focuses on ensuring internship opportunities and career paths for students. High school students are recruited to the city’s “eParks”--free computer labs located in neighborhood parks--to assist users. Those who complete community service at the parks may be hired for paid internships, and may eventually be offered employment as Elevate Miami technology coaches.

In addition, the district has developed an online forum on which employers communicate internship opportunities and are then connected with schools in the same area. The City of Miami is one of these partners and provides internships throughout city departments.

Parent and Community Partnerships

Parents are crucial targets of the Rites of Passage initiative. Through the Education Compact, the city and the district have developed a “branch” of the district’s Parent Academy for parents of children under age five to prepare children and parents for school readiness. Parents are encouraged to use the computer labs. In addition, the district’s web portal allows parents to access their child’s grades, attendance, and textbooks; to communicate with teachers; to keep informed of school events; and to access homework assistance and other online resources.

Community partners have supported the initiative as well. Microsoft and AT&T provided free Internet access and software licenses to help launch and maintain the eParks. Per Scholas, a New York and Miami-based nonprofit organization, helps the initiative purchase large quantities of computers and software at an affordable cost. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Intel have also provided funding to support the initiative.

Scaling Up

The vision of Elevate Miami is to create a sustainable program in which technology is infused in the daily lives of city residents. The mayor also hopes to create a model that can be replicated in other U.S. cities. However, the city faces challenges to ensure that it can expand. The recent change in leadership in the school district will test whether the program has the support needed to be sustainable.

Work with the Annenberg Institute for School Reform

Leaders from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the City of Miami participated in the 2008 Emerging Knowledge Forum. The panel led a discussion of Elevate Miami and its implications for building smart education systems in other communities.