Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee - Regular Meeting

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

The Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee approved past meeting minutes and advanced several items, including amendments to the parent and family engagement policy, a review of the early childhood education excellence framework, and incorporating the strategic plan alignment process into district policy. Members also discussed recent graduations and received an update on the VPK Summer Bridge program.

About this meeting

Government Body
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee
Meeting Type
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, And Technology Committee
Location
Miami-Dade County, FL
Meeting Date
June 10, 2026

Part of a shared recording

Several meetings were recorded back to back. Playback starts at this meeting; the others are below.

Published excerpts

Only published remarks appear here. The full transcript is not published.

17 sections (from 20 segments)

4:32:34 – 4:34:16•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

So I call to order the Academics Innovation Evaluation and Technology Committee meeting. The time now is 1.34. The committee members, of course, I'm your chair. Ms. Miri Blanco is my vice chair. And I hate to say this because he's gone, though, but he was a member of this committee. Dr. Steve Gallen III. I know we all miss him. And, yes, we miss him. Mr. Robert Alonzo. Mr. Danny Espino. Ms. Luisa Santos. Ms. Mary Terry Rojas. Madam Chair. Ex officio member. Ms. Monica Colucci. Vice Chair. ex-officio member. And our first order of today's business is to approve the committee meeting minutes of

4:34:49 – 4:35:23•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Are there any questions or comments? Are those in favor of G2? Any opposed? Okay, motion carries. G2 will be, G2 passes. Our next order of business will be to move the H items to the floor. All those in favor? Aye. Okay. H items are taken as they are in chronological order. Our first H item on the floor is H3 from Member Santos.

4:35:24 – 4:36:47•Luisa Santos

Thank you so much, Madam Chair. As we all know, early childhood education is one of the most important investments we make as a school district. And last June, thank you, colleagues, we passed an item approving the early childhood education excellence framework. This item before you is simply asking us to review progress one year later. I wanna thank Ms. Lynn Maceras and the whole Early Childhood and Academics team, as well, of course, as our teachers, families, school staff for the incredible work they're doing. They are really encouraging data points coming out of early childhood. From 24 to

4:36:48 – 4:37:04•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Wonderful item. You know, I always talk about my bosses. They're the ones with the short legs. Thank you. to my colleague, are there any questions from the board members? Yes, Madam Chair.

4:37:04 – 4:37:37•Mari Teresa Rojas

Yes, thank you very much, Madam Chair. No comment, no question, just a comment. I just wanted to thank Board Member Santos. I used to teach the little guys and they really are like magnets. It's unbelievable how much those children learn at a very young age. So anything that is going to enhance our early childhood programs, I'm always going to be 100% behind. So thank you for bringing it forth. At the appropriate time, I would like to be a co-sponsor. Thank you.

4:37:37•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Are there other members who would like to co-sponsor?

4:37:46 – 4:38:10•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Those who are in favor of those who have co-sponsored. Aye. Nays? Thank you very much. Thank you, Board Member Santos. So H3 would be passed with co-sponsors. Yes. Okay, our next H item on the floor is H5 from Member Santos.

4:38:11 – 4:40:02•Luisa Santos

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think it's clear I'm front-loading a bit here, so thanks for your patience today. I want to thank my colleagues and the Office of Strategic Planning, our superintendent, and everyone who has done tremendous work in developing the adopted 2631 strategic plan. Obviously, as we have said time and time again, historic input from so many different stakeholders went into this, and so was very proud to support its unanimous adoption. When we adopted that, there was a really important component of that plan that in the actual physical booklet we got happens to be like the cen

4:40:51•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

I don't know. H4 is in the personal committee. It's in the incorrect committee. Okay. Yeah.

4:41:13 – 4:41:56•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Wonderful. I heard someone else. Is that you, Member Blanco? No. Thank you so much. Great items. Great items. And I just have to chime in for a minute. As a former principal, I had six early childhood programs in my school. And since my daughter went to Montessori when we were traveling as a military family, I always wanted a Montessori piece in my school, and I was able to get two. So anything early childhood, we need it and we do it well. So are there any questions or comments left from board members? Okay, none. Those who like to co-sponsor?

4:42:02 – 4:42:24•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Okay, this now passes, co-sponsored. That's it for H5. Thank you again. We'll make sure that it's voted upon as need be in our next stop, which will be our board meeting. Okay, the next item on the agenda is new business from board members. Madam Chair, you're okay.

4:42:28 – 4:43:58•Mari Teresa Rojas

Yes, I just want to take a moment to commend and congratulate everyone on the graduations. Mr. Superintendent, Dr. Lewis, again, Mr. Bueno, Mr. Diaz, everybody involved in the process and of course all of our amazing principals at the schools and their staffs every graduation that i went to was phenomenal the parents were related the students were so well behaved so disciplined so happy it was just a momentous milestone for them and their families And I know that it took a lot of work, a lot of time and energy to ensure that everybody was there on time and that everything went as it was planne

4:44:03•Mari Teresa Rojas

I would have used my cheerleading voice, but man. Miami High, my first one.

4:44:19•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Well, since she brought that up, I'd like to ask if anyone can answer the flowers, the floral arrangements. Did you do anything, Mr. Superintendent?

4:44:37 – 4:45:11•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Okay. I don't know what they do with them, Dr. Mike, at the end of the day, but there are places that can use them, you know, our long-term care facilities and places. So if we could pass that on, it may be someone. We might have to get a truck or something, Mr. Bueno, and pass them on. You're too pretty not to. All right. That was new business. No additional new business. Staff presentations.

4:46:14 – 4:47:01•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

Okay. Let me say something about but go back a little bit to the graduations. They ran so well. I am pleased, Madam Chair, with my locations, because I don't live far from Dade North. When they go back to back, you know, and I have 12 graduations. Thank you. All right. So we're done. Yes, I think we're done. There's no additional business, nothing else to be discussed. You missed my meeting. I make a motion.

4:47:04 – 4:47:23•Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall

She does have the record. She has the record. I see May can't miss my meetings. She has to help me out. I make a motion to adjourn today's committee meeting. Are those in favor? Meeting is adjourned. Thank you very much. Okay, you can clap now.

These excerpts are remarks by officials whose identity a person confirmed, from a transcript generated automatically from the official public meeting video and presented unedited. Accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.