Question

Identify what type of: 1. County governmental structure (Miami-Dade), 2. City or town governmental structure (Miami), and 3. School board exists in your area. How are local elected officials elected, at-large or by district, for all three governmental systems?

Answer 1

1.

The Government of Miami-Dade County is defined and authorized under the Constitution of Florida, Florida law, and the Home Rule Charter of Miami-Dade County. Since its formation in 1957, Miami-Dade County, Florida has had a two-tier system of government. Under this system, Miami-Dade comprises a large unincorporated area and 35 incorporated areas or municipalities. Each municipality has its own government and provides such city-type services as police and zoning protection. Unlike a consolidated city-county, where the city and county governments merge into a single entity, these two entities remain separate. Instead there are two "tiers", or levels, of government: city and county. There are 35 municipalities in the county, the City of Miami being the largest. The county government structure is an Executive Mayor and the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (BCC) govern the County. The County's main administrative offices are located in the Stephen P. Clark Center (SPCC) at 111 NW 1ST Street in downtown Miami.

2.

The government of the City of Miami uses the mayor-commissioner type of system. The city commission consists of five commissioners that are elected from single member districts. The city commission constitutes the governing body with powers to pass ordinances, adopt regulations, and exercise all powers conferred upon the city in the city charter. The mayor is elected at large and appoints a city manager. The City of Miami is governed by Mayor Francis X. Suarez and 5 city commissioners that oversee the five districts in the city. The commission's regular meetings are held at Miami City Hall, which is located at 3500 Pan American Drive on Dinner Key in the neighborhood of Coconut Grove.

3.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is a public school district serving Miami-Dade County, in the U.S. state of Florida. Founded in 1885, it is the largest school district in Florida and the Southeastern United States, and, as of 2014, the fifth largest in the United States with a student enrollment of 356,086 as of August 30, 2017.

The district is managed by the School Board of Miami-Dade County, which appoints a superintendent to head the administrative portions of the district. Alberto Carvalho has been Superintendent since September 12, 2008.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is one of a few public school districts in the United States to offer optional international studies programs and bilingual education. Bilingual education is offered in Spanish, French, German, Haitian Creole, and Mandarin Chinese. M-DCPS is the only school district in Florida to offer bilingual education in Mandarin.