Dr. Robert D. Strickland
Subcontractor
As the Administrative Director for School Choice & Parental Options within Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Dr. Strickland was responsible for over 384 magnet programs in 114 schools (PreK-12), as well as leading and directing staff assigned to develop, implement, and monitor operational and programmatic aspects of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grants. During his tenure, he managed four (4) MSAP grants, as well as facilitated seven (7) additional Federal grants, including Voluntary Public Schools Choice, Arts in Education Model Development & Dissemination, Small Learning Communities, and Secondary School Reform.
During his tenure facilitating Magnet school programs and operations, M-DCPS choice efforts and Magnet programs were:
- Awarded 364 Magnet Schools of America (MSA) National Merit Awards
- Focused on expanding, enhancing, and reviving thematic programming - including STEM, Visual & Performing Arts, International Education, Virtual, and Liberal Arts;
- Awarded the Donna Grady-Creer District Award for Magnet Sustainability from MSA
- Awarded multiple accolades from MSA for top honors as National Teachers of the Year, National Principals of the Year, and National Superintendent of the Year
- Consistently recognized as having some of the top Magnet schools in the country by MSA and the National Academy Foundation (NAF)
- Incrementally increased local Magnet applications from 34,000 to more than 88,000 annually.
Under Dr. Strickland’s leadership, thirty-one (31) Magnet schools within Miami-Dade County Public Schools were awarded National Magnet Certification from MSA, with sixteen (16) of those schools reaching the coveted Demonstration School level of distinction.
Previously, Dr. Strickland was an Administrative Director within the Office of Professional Development & Educational Services facilitating the professional development and the Response to Intervention (RtI) initiative for fifty-two (52) transitioning elementary schools. Before being in that position, he was an Executive Director in the Division of Life Skills & Special Projects over highly awarded and recognized visual and performing arts programs for M-DCPS.
Dr. Strickland received a B.S. in Music Education degree from the University of Tennessee, a M.A. and M.F.A. in Theatre from the University of Miami, and an Ed.D in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He is a past President of the Florida Association for Theatre Education and has served as a member of the Florida Department of Education writing teams for teacher certification examination, curriculum frameworks/standards, and course descriptions. He received Administrator of the Year awards from the Florida Association for Theatre Education, Dade Association for Theatre Education, and Florida State Thespians. He has previously served on the National Board of Directors for the Educational Theatre Association, as well as on the Board of Directors for Magnet Schools of America as a Region Director and served as Parliamentarian.
Dr. Strickland is the co-author of a theatre textbook entitled, THEATRE: Art in Action that received a distinguished book award from the American Alliance for Theatre Education (AATE). In addition, he is the author of a series of textbooks for teaching Shakespeare, entitled Shakespeare–ience. Dr. Strickland was awarded the Herbert A. Drew, Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Education from Nova Southeastern University, and was honored with both the Distinguished Career Award from the Florida Theatre Conference and the Founder’s Award from the Educational Theatre Association.
