Miami-dade County School Board Approves Item H-8 Requesting An Update On The Status Of The Office Of Urban Affairs And Opportunity Proffered By Dr. Steve Gallon III

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF DR. STEVE GALLON

December 20, 2018

At the December 19, 2018 School Board Meeting, the School Board approved Board Item H-8, requesting an update on the status of the Office of Urban Affairs and Opportunity (OUAO). The item was co-sponsored by School Board Members Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall, Ms. Susie Castillo, Dr. Lawrence Feldman, and Ms. Mari Tere Rojas.

The Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is committed to policies and practices that promote and support expanded and equitable participation by small, micro, minority, and veteran owned businesses. Originally adopted by the School Board in November 2012 and updated in November 2014 and September 2015, Policy 6320.02, Small, Micro Business Enterprise (S/MBE) Program, governs this commitment and promotes the development, economic inclusion, and growth of small, micro, and minority businesses through the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO).

The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) also promotes the economic development and growth of small, micro, minority, and veteran owned businesses through its certification program, community outreach programs, contract review and monitoring activities in addition to ongoing interaction with other municipal agencies, quasi-public agencies and the local marketplace.

The work envisioned for this office is of critical importance to the Board, Superintendent, and communities to be served. Thus, the mission, scope, goals, and impact of this office are being requested to ensure that the community’s needs and Board’s expectations are being met.

This item directs the Superintendent to provide an update in the form of a presentation to the Board on the mission, scope, goals, objectives, lines of authority, defined positions, work plan, activities to date, and current and/or expected impact and desired outcomes of the Office of Urban Affairs and Opportunity, as well as relevant information regarding the same at the Board Committee meeting on March 6, 2019.