Carvalho Vows To Fight For Central & Edison High Schools

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – Miami Central High School and Miami Edison High School could be on the chopping block after they failed to show improvements on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).

Both schools will either have to close their doors or be converted into charter schools. The schools have raised their grades from F's to C's, but the state said that this year's grades for high schools have both Central and Edison within the F range.

But, Miami superintendent Alberto Carvalho has vowed to fight any changes to Central or Edison.

"There is a stronger chance of the crown of Spain reclaiming Florida than of us shutting down Edison and Central High Schools," said Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. "It will not happen."

Parents are worried about what the school's closing would do to the students at both schools.

"I'm concerned because my daughter is in the magnet program at Central," said Edison High parent Shirley Moise. "I chose their magnet program for their academic excellence there."

Central and Edison have been on the list of failing schools facing closure since 2008. Central went from having five straight F's, to a C, according to the Herald. Edison's score went from F to C, which according to the Miami Herald can typically take up to six years.

The problem was both schools failed to "meet the federal standards for improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act," according to the Herald.

It's not the first time both have been threatened with closure. Former Miami-Dade Superintendent Rudy Crew suggested Edison close for one year, but the community mounted resistance and the plan was scuttled, according to the Herald.