MDC’s School of Education to Sign Memorandum of Understanding with Pace Center for Girls

Today was a momentous day, we are proud to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Miami Dade College. This partnership between the School of Education and Pace underscores our shared commitment to enhancing teacher quality and student success across Florida.

“This MOU signifies a significant partnership between MDC School of Education and Pace Center for Girls, highlighting a shared commitment to elevate teacher quality and student achievement across Florida,” said MDC President, Madeline Pumariega. “Through collaborative efforts, both institutions aim to create opportunities for current and aspiring educators through high-quality professional learning.”

This partnership provides a proactive solution to the teacher shortage affecting the nation by creating a direct pipeline from MDC’s School of Education to teaching positions at Pace Center for Girls’ 21 centers, ensuring a steady flow of well-prepared educators across Florida. College-level credit courses will also be available for certificate renewal or academic endorsement, reflected on official transcripts.

“This partnership with MDC School of Education represents a commitment to recruit, develop and retain high-quality teachers. At Pace we have evidence that girls’ success highly correlates with a consistent, caring adult relationship, and that a teacher’s satisfaction depends on relationships not only with our girls but with other team members, leaders, and a supportive community,” said Mary Marx, President and CEO of Pace Center for Girls. “By collaborating with MDC, we are ensuring that our educators are well-equipped to meet the unique needs of today’s youth, helping them to overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.”

Pace is recognized as one of the nation's leading advocates for girls and has an evidence-based program model that has changed the life trajectory of more than 40,000 girls with a high number of risk factors and adverse childhood experiences across 25 communities in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. In addition to the Pace team now having access to endorsement courses and courses aligned with state requirements for certification, this MOU will allow for a collaboration between MDC and Pace to co-create courses on how to best support students who have experienced trauma. This ensures that teacher candidates are well-prepared to support diverse student populations. Today’s youth face unprecedented levels of stress and trauma, making it essential for educators to be trained in trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practices.

MDC’s School of Education (MDC SOE) is comprised of three departments: Early Childhood Education, K-12 Teacher Education Programs, and the Center for Professional Development. Hallmarks of the programs include a focus on educational neuroscience and how the brain learns, research-based best practices in teaching and learning, focus on social-emotional learning, extensive clinical experience that bridges theory and practice, and an infusion of technology. SOE’s dedicated faculty represents hundreds of years of teaching experience at all levels. Nearly 100% of SOE’s 2014-2015 academic degree completers found employment. Learn more at https://www.mdc.edu/education/about/