The Office of Pre-Collegiate Programs at  Florida International University submitted a grant proposal for the 2007-2008 College Board Florida Partnership Expanded Opportunity Grant and was awarded $83,000 to implement the project. The goal of the grant is to provide targeted Miami-Dade County secondary and middle school students with support to enhance their educational access and success in college. This is the fourth year that the University has received funding for this project.

The objective of the grant is to serve students from specific area high schools and associated feeder middle schools, designated as either “D” or “F” schools and/or students who come from predominantly low-income neighborhoods.   The program proposes to serve approximately 100 students. Twenty-five of the participants will be middle school students from feeder schools leading into the target high schools.  Twenty-five of the participants will be rising sophomores (10th graders) and the remaining 50 students will be rising juniors and seniors (11th and 12th graders).  The program will focus on preparation for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test (PSAT), and introduction to Advanced Placement (AP) Science and Math topics for all 9th and 10th graders.  Language, reading comprehension, literacy; and intensive Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) preparation is the focus for 11th and 12th graders. The rising 12th graders will take college level courses through the dual enrollment program offered by FIU and will receive both high school and college credits.