TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – An effort is underway this year to boost performance at Florida A&M\u2019s Developmental Research School (FAMU DRS). <\/p>\n
For the past several years, the Florida Department of Education\u2019s annual school report has issued a \u201cC\u201d to the laboratory school. <\/p>\n
Now, the university\u2019s board of trustees is working to find areas for improvement. In February, the board created a subcommittee to \u201creview, evaluate, and recommend policies, structures and strategies that strengthen the School academic performance, operational integrity, financial stability, and long-term alignment with the mission of FAMU.\u201d <\/p>\n
A few months later, the subcommittee\u2019s chair, Trustee Jamal Brown, sat down with WCTV to provide an update. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo at the end of the day, the work is about our students,\u201d Dr. Brown said. \u201cIt\u2019s about making sure that DRS has the structure, the accountability, the support. And we want to make sure as a Board that we understand what it takes for FAMU DRS to be an \u2018A\u2019 school.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Brown said the board is made up of fellow trustees, as well as DRS faculty and parents. Representatives from Leon County schools and other education experts are also on board. <\/p>\n
The subcommittee was then divided up into six teams, each tasked with looking into a different component. <\/p>\n
More Tallahassee News<\/p>\n
\u201c[We\u2019re looking at] what the resources are, what the gaps are, what\u2019s needed from the board, what\u2019s needed for the university, so that we can provide the support and help to provide the infrastructure for them to be best positioned.\u201d Dr. Brown said. <\/p>\n
Trustee Brown shared an update at the June 11 Board of Trustees meeting, including discussion of a dashboard tool that will help the board focus its improvement efforts. <\/p>\n
Dr. Brown believes a major goal is to create a more efficient pipeline from DRS to the university right next door. <\/p>\n
\u201cFlorida A&M University is right there on campus, and so strengthening our pipelines, strengthening our programs, and also strengthening the work that we\u2019re doing at DRS across the board is really what we\u2019re looking at,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
He added that part of the mission is to make sure future DRS students have the financial tools and aid available to make it a seamless transition. <\/p>\n
The subcommittee will continue to provide updates to the FAMU Board of Trustees at meetings later this year. <\/p>\n
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