M-D Superintendent Shares Vision For School Year

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Back-to-school is just around the corner for students and teachers in Miami-Dade County.  Superintendent Alberto Carvalho shared his vision for the 2012-2013 school year with his opening of schools address today at the Adrienne Arsht Center.

Students, teachers and administrators all took part in the event.

"It represents a new beginning for another opportunity for children across this community to learn something new," said Perla Tabares Hantman who is the chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County School Board.

The 350,000 students in the Miami-Dade County Public School System will return to the classroom August 20th.

"We as teachers we need to do whatever we need to do to make sure our schools meet the standards for our students," said Rosa Ansoleaga who is a teacher at Robert Russa Moton Elementary.

But on the minds of many Miami -Dade County public schools educators, a new state law requiring 10 poor performing schools in the district to stay an extra hour in the classroom each day.

"I believe if we are going to ask teachers to work additional time they should be compensated for it, " said Alberto Carvalho who is the superintendent for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. "We are fighting with the state to draw down the appropriate funding."

Carvalho says he's already gotten a commitment of three million dollars to subsidize the additional time for teachers.

"We do not ask teachers to work if they are not appropriately compensated," said Carvalho.

CBS 4's Kara Kostanich also asked Carvalho where the 1.2 billion bond referendum he wants to put before voters to revitalize and modernize the distrist's aging schools stands right now.

According to Carvalho, the bond referendum is awaiting approval in Tallahassee.

The Miami-Dade County School Board will take up the issue again in a special meeting Wednesday.