Ryder System, Miami, FL, yesterday dedicated the Ryder Elementary Charter School, the nation's first charter school-in-the-workplace.

The Ryder Elementary Charter School is located across the street from Ryder's headquarters. The school will provide publicly funded kindergarten through fifth grade education. During the first two years of enrollment, the school will provide kindergarten through third grade education for 300 students, and by its third year, enrollment will increase to 500 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Preference for enrollment was given to children of people who work at Ryder facilities, and vacancies were filled by children from the community.
The Ryder Elementary Charter School provides Ryder with flexibility to limit class sizes and create a curriculum that may not be available in regular public schools. The Ryder Elementary Charter School curriculum will place particular emphasis on technology and on developing foreign language skills.
With the addition of the charter school, Ryder will provide daycare and education for employees' children from the age of six weeks through third grade (extending to fifth grade in two years) between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.