Eight students in Class of 2014 divide $150,000 in Broad Prize scholarships

Eight students from seven schools in the Class of 2014 divided the $150,000 in scholarship money received by San Diego Unified as a result of its nomination for the 2013 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

The students are: Dustin Nguyen of Crawford High School; Jake Brooks and Linh Ngo of Madison High; Nathanael Maracle from Pt. Loma High; Kevin Sibaja Allec, SciTech at San Diego High; Gerardo Perez, School of Business and LEADS at San Diego High; Tyler Wallake, San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts; and Ari Krasner, University City High School.

The Broad Prize scholarship recipients attending four-year colleges or universities will receive up to a $20,000 award ($5,000 per year, paid out over four years). Students attending two-year colleges or vocational schools will receive up to a $5,000 award ($2,500 per year, paid out over two years). Awards are for undergraduate study only.

"Many excellent students applied and the program was extremely competitive this year. In a competitive scholarship program, not every student can receive an award," said Connie Baumgartner, Program Manager with Scholarship America Scholarship Management Services, which handled the selection process on behalf of the Broad Foundation.

The initial review and evaluation of applications was completed by Scholarship Management Services with careful consideration given to each student’s academic record and all other information including financial data provided on the application. An independent selection committee further reviewed application materials and selected recipients.

San Diego Unified was named by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation as one of the top for US school districts to demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement, while at the same time reducing achievement gaps across ethnic groups and between low-income and non-low-income students.

The $1 million Broad Prize is the largest education award in the nation. It recognizes urban school districts that demonstrate the strongest student achievement and improvement while reducing achievement gaps among low-income students and students of color.

Houston Independent School District won the prize in 2013, receiving $550,000 in college scholarships for high school seniors who will graduate in 2014. San Diego Unified, along with Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., and Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina, will each receive $150,000 in college scholarships. There is no application process for the prize; the districts are selected by the Broad Prize committee and invited to participate.

When the announcement of the prize winner was made in September, 2013, Supt. Marten hailed the efforts of students and staff to create a climate of excellence in San Diego Unified.

"It was an honor to be recognized by The Broad Foundation," said Supt. Cindy Marten. "I am grateful to our team of employees who work every day in-and-out of the classrooms for our children. I'm excited for our students who will receive Broad scholarships."

Broad Prize sets March 3 deadline for $150,000 in scholarships

March 3 is the deadline for graduating students to apply for $150,000 in two- or four-year scholarships, depending on the type of higher education institution they choose to attend, the result of San Diego Unified being a finalist for the 2013 Broad Prize for Education.

If selected as a Broad Prize scholarship recipient, students attending four-year colleges or universities will receive up to a $20,000 award ($5,000 per year, paid out over four years). Students attending two-year colleges or vocational schools will receive up to a $5,000 award ($2,500 per year, paid out over two years). Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Named by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation as one of the top for US school districts to demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement, while at the same time reducing achievement gaps across ethnic groups and between low-income and non-low-income students.

Students can apply for the Broad Prize at https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/broadprize/information.php. They can also check with their school counselor for assistance in completing the application.

Although The Broad Prize recognizes urban school district efforts on the whole, the beneficiaries of The Broad Prize funds are the students themselves. The Broad Prize winning district receives $550,000 million in college scholarships for graduating high school seniors, and the finalist districts each receive $150,000 in college scholarships. As an extra bonus, the first high school to reach 100 applicants, or 100 percent of seniors in the case of schools with fewer than 100 seniors, will receive a $500 bonus to support its school counseling center.

All awards may be renewed for up to three additional years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first. Students attending a two-year college or vocational school may transfer to an accredited four-year college or university. The award amount will be adjusted upon transfer. In no instance will an award exceed $20,000.

Renewal is contingent upon maintaining a cumulative 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in a full-time course of study and continuation of the scholarship program by The Broad Foundation.

Students still get $150,000 in scholarships as SD Unified falls short in Broad Prize bid

It wasn't first place, but San Diego Unified's Class of 2014 will still split $150,000 in scholarship money thanks to the The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

Eli Broad, left, Edyth Broad, Ed. Sec. Arne
Duncan, Board Pres. John Lee Evans, Supt.
Cindy Marten, retired Supt. Bill Kowba

On Wednesday morning, the Foundation announced that the Houston Independent School District was awarded this year's Broad Prize and $550,000 in scholarship money for its students. Besides San Diego Unified, other districts nominated were Corona-Norco, located in Riverside County, and Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina.

"We're thrilled that San Diego Unified has been recognized as one of the four best school districts in the United States," said Kevin Beiser, Board of Education Vice President and Subdistrict B representative. "This is a big win for the teachers that work constantly with our students to improve their learning, and a recognition of the hard work done by support staff in making a great environment for our students."
Superintendent Cindy Marten and retired Superintendent Bill Kowba -- on whose watch the nomination was announced -- attended the award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

"It was an honor to be recognized by The Broad Foundation," said Superintendent Cindy Marten. "I am grateful to our team of employees who work every day in-and-out of the classrooms for our children.
"This honor reaffirms that our community-based reform efforts and singular focus on student achievement are making a difference."

Districts do not apply for this prize. Staff from the Broad Foundation looks at test scores and other data from the 75 largest school districts and picks four finalists. A team of independent educational experts then analyze the districts and one winner is selected. Only the four top districts receive scholarship money.

In its announcement of the award, the Broad Foundation noted San Diego Unified's progress in key areas.

San Diego Unified has more than 110,000 students-65 percent of whom are low-income. Among the reasons San Diego schools stood out among the nation's largest urban school districts:

• San Diego students outperform students in other California districts with similar poverty rates. In 2012, proficiency rates for San Diego Unified students surpassed expectations compared to other California districts given the poverty level of families in the district. Proficiency rates for San Diego students were above expected across all subjects (reading, math and science) and all school levels (elementary, middle and high school).

• San Diego Unified narrowed achievement gaps. In recent years, San Diego narrowed the achievement gaps between its Hispanic students and white students across California at every school level and in every subject. The district also narrowed the gap between its Hispanic and white students in elementary, middle and high school reading and science, and in elementary and high school math. San Diego also achieved a smaller achievement gap between its low-income students and California's non-low-income students in elementary, middle and high school science and in elementary and high school reading and math.
• San Diego Unified's low-income, Hispanic and African-American high school students showed more improvement in science than other California students. In recent years, San Diego Unified was in the top 30 percent of districts across the state for increasing the percentage of low-income, Hispanic and African-American high school students performing at the highest achievement levels on the state science assessment. Low-income students in San Diego, for instance, increased their performance by 8 percentage points in high school science between 2010 and 2012, while California overall saw scores increase by only 3 percentage points over the same period.

The selection jury evaluated quantitative data on the finalists that consisted of publicly available student performance data compiled and analyzed by RTI International, one of the world's leading research institutes. In addition, the jury evaluated the four finalist districts' policies and practices, compiled following site visits conducted by a team of education practitioners led by RMC Research Corporation, an education consulting company. The site visits included classroom observations and interviews with administrators, teachers, principals, parents, community leaders, school board members and union representatives.

Kowba, who retired June 30, said he was "grateful to our San Diego Unified employees for their dedication to our students."

"We are honored, humbled and grateful to the Broad Foundation for this recognition," said Kowba, who retired June 30. "We appreciate their feedback about our past efforts. It will help provide the district with a road map for future efforts."

The $1 million Broad Prize is the largest education award in the nation. It recognizes urban school districts that demonstrate the strongest student achievement and improvement while reducing achievement gaps among low-income students and students of color.

The $150,000 in scholarships will go a long way to help the Class of 2014 succeed, said Marten.

"I'm excited for our students who will receive Broad scholarships," she said. "I can't wait to get back to San Diego."
The 75 largest urban school districts in America are automatically eligible for the award each year.
Houston Independent School District will receive $550,000 in college scholarships for high school seniors who will graduate in 2014. San Diego Unified, along with Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., and Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina, will each receive $150,000 in college scholarships.

The Broad Prize is awarded by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. Founded by entrepreneur Eli Broad and his wife Edythe, both graduates of Detroit Public Schools, The Broad Foundation is a philanthropic organization that seeks to ensure that every student in an urban public school has the opportunity to succeed.

SD Unified awaits Broad Prize news

IN THE NEWS: Years of homegrown reforms in San Diego schools may yield the top award in public education Wednesday, when the prestigious Broad Prize is announced in Washington, D.C. San Diego Unified has topped 71 other large urban districts nationwide to become one of four finalists for the award, which champions student academic achievement across all ethnic groups — as well as innovative leadership and teaching strategies that help make those accomplishments possible. Read more from UT San Diego»

Join us Wednesday morning for Broad Prize annoucement

San Diegans are invited to join the fun as the Broad Prize announcement is made tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 8 a.m. (PDT), at the Eugene Brucker Education Center auditorium, 4100 Normal St. (92103).

The announcement will be on the board auditorium's big screens, live from the Library of Congress in Washington, where Education Secretary Arne Duncan will announce which of the four nominated schools will win the $500,000 prize in scholarship money for its students. The award, considered the top recognition for a large urban school district, carries with it as much as $550,000 in college scholarships for its students.

Districts do not apply for the award.  Finalists for the prize, along with San Diego Unified, are the Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., Cumberland County Schools, N.C., and the Houston Independent School District. Corona-Norco and Houston were finalists last year. This is the first time in the award's 12-year history that San Diego and Cumberland County have been finalists.

This year's four finalists were selected by a review board of 17 prominent education researchers, policy leaders, practitioners and executives from leading universities, education associations, civil rights advocacy organizations, think-tanks and foundations. The review board evaluated publicly available academic achievement data that were compiled and analyzed by MPR Associates, Inc., a leading national education research consulting firm.

In addition, each district had a three-day site visit by a team of independent evaluators, who visited in May. While here, they produced a video that will be shown at the ceremony, which will be held in the Library of Congress. Watch video»

Broad Prize annoucement is next week; San Diego Unified video is online

The big announcement about the winner of the coveted Broad Prize for Urban Education is scheduled for 8 a.m. (PDT) Wednesday, Sept. 25 in Washington, D.C. but San Diegans can watch it from the Board of Education Auditorium at the Eugene Brucker Education Center, 4100 Normal St. (92103). The public is invited to attend.

The award, considered the top recognition for a large urban school district, carries with it as much as $550,000 in college scholarships for its students.

Finalists for the prize, along with San Diego Unified, are the Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif., Cumberland County Schools, N.C., and the Houston Independent School District. Corona-Norco and Houston were finalists last year. This is the first time in the award's 12-year history that San Diego and Cumberland County have been finalists.

"We're all so excited that this honor has come to San Diego Unified, no matter whether we finish in the top spot or not," said Linda Zintz, Communications Director, who will join Board of Education members, Superintendent Cindy Marten, former Superintendent Bill Kowba and several other members of the district leadership in Washington, D.C., for the announcement. "People always say, 'it's an honor just to be nominated,' but in this case, that's the truth."

Districts do not apply for the award. This year's four finalists were selected by a review board of 17 prominent education researchers, policy leaders, practitioners and executives from leading universities, education associations, civil rights advocacy organizations, think-tanks and foundations. The review board evaluated publicly available academic achievement data that were compiled and analyzed by MPR Associates, Inc., a leading national education research consulting firm.

In addition, each district had a three-day site visit by a team of independent evaluators, who visited in May. While here, they produced a video that will be shown at the ceremony, which will be held in the Library of Congress. Watch video»

'Successful strategies' for raising African-American student college tests cited

The successful strategies used by the San Diego Unified School District and five other urban school systems across the country to boost African-American student participation in and performance on Advanced Placement tests are detailed in a new report released today by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

The report, "The Road to Equity: Expanding AP Access and Success for African-American Students," details how the following school systems are increasing college readiness of African-American students by improving their AP passing rates quickly enough to gain on their white peers while increasing or keeping participation rates steady:

• San Diego Unified School District
• Cobb County School District, Ga.
• Fulton County School System, Ga.
• Garland Independent School District, Tx.
• Jefferson County Public Schools, Ky.
• Orange County Public Schools, Fla.

In looking to identify urban school districts with promising trends in student achievement and college-readiness, The Broad Foundation analyzed four years of AP exam participation and passing rates for students in the 75 districts whose demographics qualify them for consideration for the annual Broad Prize for Urban Education. Of the six examined, only San Diego Unified is one of the four finalists for the 2013 prize.

The foundation found that the districts were able to simultaneously raise performance on AP tests without losing ground on participation by employing many of the following practices and strategies:

• Offer a rigorous curriculum beginning in elementary grades;
• Expand access to gifted programs;
• Analyze student results on precursors to college entrance exams -- like PSAT and EXPLORE -- to identify potential AP students and actively recruit them to enroll in AP courses;
• Provide extra academic and social support to students;
• Dramatically increase the number of AP course offerings;
• Offer additional teacher training and professional development;
• Instill confidence in students about their college-going potential;
• Educate parents about the benefits of AP.

The College Board's Advanced Placement program is a benchmark for academic rigor and offers high school students the opportunity to earn college credit, thus saving students time and money. Enrollment in AP courses has tripled since 2000 as districts moved to increase course offerings and broaden student recruits in the challenging courses.

"AP is an important predictor of college success when teachers and students use AP's standards as an inspiration, developing through practice the most important academic skills needed in college," said Trevor Packer, the College Board's senior vice president for AP and instruction. "Data identify thousands of minority and low-income students who have the academic potential to succeed in Advanced Placement courses, but lack access or encouragement to pursue such opportunities. We celebrate the AP teachers and students of these six urban districts for their extraordinary accomplishments. Their successes show that with the right support systems and best practices, broader access to AP can provide a diversity of students with a stronger foundation for college and career success."

The report found that in nearly all of the 75 Broad Prize-eligible school districts, the gap in both AP passing rates and participation rates between African-American students and their white counterparts is significant.

"This report underscores the need for districts to actively work to increase access to and success on AP tests," said Rebecca Wolf DiBiase, managing director of programs for The Broad Foundation. "We are highlighting the practices in these six districts to demonstrate that improvement is possible. But progress needs to happen much faster and in all schools before we can truly ensure that all students have access to and the necessary preparation for success in college."

The Education Trust also released the findings today of new research that low-income and students of color do not have equal access to AP and International Baccalaureate programs. The report, "Finding America's Missing AP and IB Students," reveals that most national participation gaps could be eliminated if every school with an AP program focused on encouraging and enrolling its low-income and students of color in the college preparatory courses.

The $1 million Broad Prize, established in 2002, is the largest education award in the country given to school districts. The Broad Prize is awarded each year to honor urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among students from low-income families and students of color.

Founded by entrepreneur Eli Broad and his wife Edythe, both graduates of Detroit Public Schools, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation is a philanthropy that seeks to ensure that every student in an urban public school has the opportunity to succeed. Bringing together top education experts and practitioners, the foundation funds system-wide programs and policies that strengthen public schools by creating environments that allow good teachers to do great work and enable students of all backgrounds to learn and thrive. For more information, visit www.broadeducation.org, and updates are available on Facebook and Twitter @broadfoundation. For more information about The Broad Prize, visit www.broadprize.org.

S.D. Unified successes put district in running for top prize

IN THE NEWS: A team of education researchers descended on Josephine Washington’s freshman biology class at Kearny High School on Wednesday, hovering over her shoulder with questions about their work with the nonprofit Surfaid International. Josephine and her classmates talked about malaria outbreaks that can hit developing countries following natural disasters. They also discussed the biology and social impact of composting. These hands-on, real-world lessons resonated with education experts sent to gather information on the San Diego Unified School District, one of four finalists for the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education. Read more from UT San Diego»

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