U.S. Secretary Of Education Linda McMahon Visits SLAM Charter School In Miami

Secretary McMahon joined Congressman Burgess Owens on Sirius XM’s “The David Webb Show” in front of a live audience of parents and families impacted by school choice. Following the studio event, Secretary McMahon, Congressman Owens and David Webb visited SLAM Miami for a student-led tour and a second live broadcast on SLAM Radio. The broadcast featured interviews conducted by students and showcased how educational choice is transforming lives.

“As we work to restore local control over education, it was great to join Congressman Burgess Owens students, and parents to see firsthand the difference school choice makes in unlocking academic potential,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Families deserve the freedom to choose the best educational path for their children and Florida schools like SLAM are delivering with an active learning environment for students who have a passion for the sports industry. Students get to learn what they enjoy and have fun doing it!”

“We know what’s possible when we put our children first—parents are trusted as the primary decision-makers in their kids’ education, opportunity is no longer determined by a ZIP code and academic outcomes improve. Working alongside President Trump and Secretary McMahon, we have a historic opportunity to make national school choice a reality, transform the lives of millions of families and finally fund students—not systems. Thank you to Secretary McMahon for joining the launch of this critical mission and to the incredible students and parents who stood with us—we will never stop fighting for you,” said Congressman Burgess Owens.

Their Mission

The mission of SLAM is to provide an innovative and in-depth secondary educational program that produces college-bound students through emphasis on sports-related majors and post-secondary preparation.

Their Vision

Our vision is to position students for future success in a global job market, equip them with the skills to pursue their passions and develop their character to make a positive impact on society.

The School and the Curriculum

Sports Leadership Arts Management, SLAM, is a Public Charter School in historic Little Havana which opened in 2013. At SLAM, students in grades 6-12 prepare for post-secondary careers through Academies in Sports Medicine, Sports Broadcasting Television and Media Production, Sports Marketing, Entertainment and Management. The educational program integrates sports related themes into a rigorous curriculum to engage and motivate students. SLAM provides students with a unique access to career mentors and internships through educational partnerships with local and national partners such as Telemundo/NBC Universal, Major-League Baseball (MLB), The NBA, The Miami Marlins, the Miami HEAT and others. High school students also have the opportunity to earn college credit through SLAM’s robust dual enrollment and advanced placement programs.

With more than 3,000 applicants in its inaugural year and capacity for only 1,000 students, SLAM expects to open 5 new charter schools within South Florida by 2015. After being featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, The Katie Couric Show, National Public Radio, ABC Nightline and others, the school quickly captured national attention. SLAM is currently working with sports franchises and educational leaders to bring its program to school districts throughout the country.

The Educational Model - SLAM integrates Florida State Standards and sports-related themes into a core curriculum of Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies, SLAM prepares students for careers in Sports Medicine, Business, Marketing, Health and Communications through electives coursework in the following career academies:

• Sports Medicine

• Digital Television & Sports Media Production

• Sports Marketing, Entertainment & Management

SLAM provides students with unique access to career mentors, athletes as role models and executive internships through educational partnerships with local and national sports franchises. By fostering these and other long-term relationships, students at SLAM benefit from real world learning experiences within all facets of the sports industry.

SLAM is accredited by Cognia, a global school improvement and accreditation organization. Cognia offers accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning and improvement services to institutions and other education providers. As a global NonProfit working in over 80 countries, Cognia serves 36,000 institutions, nearly 25 million students, and five million educators every day.

Each year, Cognia identifies schools and systems that best exemplify excellence based on the results of their rigorous accreditation review process. In 2022, SLAM was designated as a “System of Distinction” by Cognia for demonstrating excellence in education and outstanding service to learners. SLAM was recognized among 96 schools and 38 school systems worldwide.

More information about SLAM can be found at: https://www.slammiami.com