Long Beach School District – Broad Prize Finalist
This year the Broad Prize for Urban Education has gone to the Long Beach Unified School District. The other four finalists for this prize are school districts in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the Aldine Independent School District near Houston and the Brownsville Independent School District on the Texas-Mexico border.
School districts cannot apply for the prize directly. Instead, researchers monitor student academic performance in different areas to select five finalists, from which one will receive the main prize.
According to Press Kit, the Long Beach Unified School District will receive $500,000 in scholarships for graduating seniors, while the other four finalists will get $125,000 in scholarships.
The Broad Prize for Urban Education honors urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among ethnic groups and between high- and low- income students.
The Los Angeles Times reports that one of the qualities that has helped the district is its strong and sustained leadership.
Last month, the district announced a partnership with local colleges that promises to provide student and family outreach to all middle and high school students, a tuition-free first semester at Long Beach Community College starting in 2011, and to offer Cal State Long Beach admission to district students who complete minimum college preparatory requirements or community college transfer requirements.
Christopher J. Steinhauser, the superintendent of the school district, is quoted in the newspaper expressing the feeling of integrity and honor the school officials have for winning the prize.
“It’s a huge honor. We pride ourselves on a path of continual improvement, and to be recognized by the [Eli and Edythe Broad] foundation as one of the top five school systems in America every time we’ve been eligible is a huge honor for teachers, students and parents.”
Photo: © JaymezB
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