As Key Biscayne officials and education stakeholders consider the future of public education on the island, one question has drawn renewed attention from families: does the agreement between the Village of Key Biscayne and Miami-Dade County Public Schools still provide the right balance of access to MAST Academy for local students?<\/p>\n
The debate is tied to the reported declining enrollment in the K-8 Center\u2019s middle-school grades. The latest enrollment levels at the K-8 Center<\/a> include 88 kindergarten students, 94 first-graders, 110 second-graders, 94 third-graders, 110 fourth-graders and 143 fifth graders. Available middle school enrollment numbers show 50 middle school students; 12 in sixth grade, 20 in seventh and 18 in eighth grade.<\/p>\n At the center of last week\u2019s Village Education Advisory Board<\/a> (EAB) was a discussion on the interlocal agreement which triggered the 2012 expansion of MAST Academy, approved by the School Board and the Village of Key Biscayne. Public Village materials describe approximately 1,100 student stations for Key Biscayne resident students in grades 6 through 12 through MAST\u2019s Cambridge program. Students must still meet the applicable requirements and follow the admissions process.<\/p>\n The board also discussed the current 2.5 GPA admission requirement and if it is sufficiently rigorous.<\/p>\n The current discussion is whether the distribution of seats among grade levels still reflects how Key Biscayne families are using their educational options. Some families choose MAST beginning in sixth grade, while others prefer to keep their children at KBK8 through eighth grade and consider MAST for ninth grade. If more students remain at KBK8 through eighth grade, should the allocation be reviewed to better address ninth-grade demand?<\/p>\n The number of seats associated with Key Biscayne is not necessarily the same as the number available to new applicants each year. Students enrolled at MAST may continue into high school, potentially leaving fewer openings for new ninth-grade applicants. The EAB discussion focused on the need to verify current Key Biscayne enrollment at MAST, available seats by grade and how the agreement applies as students move from middle school to high school.<\/p>\n During the discussion, Vice Mayor Oscar Sardi\u00f1as<\/a>, the EAB\u2019s Council liaison, raised the issue of revisiting the interlocal agreement, particularly whether the distribution of seats should better reflect current Key Biscayne enrollment and demand. The board supported bringing the issue to the Village Council for further discussion with M-DCPS.<\/p>\n The goal is not to reduce Key Biscayne\u2019s access to MAST, but to determine whether the current allocation continues to meet the needs of local students. Under the Principal Evie Mayor and new Assistant Principal Giuseppe Semeraro, KBK8 has been expanding the opportunities available to middle-school students.<\/p>\n The changes discussed this year include a broader range of academic and enrichment opportunities for students in grades 6\u20138. These include advanced coursework such as Algebra and Physical Science, foreign-language instruction, digital storytelling and broadcasting, robotics and STEM opportunities, additional clubs and extracurricular activities, and increased opportunities for students to become involved in leadership and school life.<\/p>\n The expressed objective is to create a stronger middle-school experience, one in which students can find academic challenges, extracurricular interests, leadership opportunities and a sense of belonging within their own community. If K-8 continues to strengthen its middle-school program, more families may see value in keeping their children in K-8 through eighth grade. At the same time, those students should continue to have a clear and realistic pathway to high-school options, including MAST, if they meet the requirements and choose to apply.<\/p>\n