BPS in the News

Boston Public Schools wins Broad Prize for Urban Education
Fifth time the charm for national recognition as
most improved urban school district;
$1 million in total scholarship money awarded to students

September 19, 2006

NEW YORK CITY - Mayor Thomas M. Menino, School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger and Interim Superintendent Michael Contompasis today accepted the Broad Prize for Urban Education from Eli Broad and the Broad Foundation as the most improved urban school district in the country. The Broad Prize included $500,000 in scholarship money for BPS students. This was Boston's fifth year as a finalist.

"Finally - the School Committee, Superintendent Contompasis and his staff have been working hard to accelerate the improvement in all of the city's schools," Mayor Menino said. "This award today could not have been accomplished without the hard work of the staff in schools and of the students and their families who make the Boston Public Schools an exciting place to be and a great place to learn. We are also tremendously grateful for the almost 11 years of leadership provided by retired Superintendent Thomas Payzant, who helped design and implement the reform plan that guides the BPS today. "

Started in 2002, the Broad Prize is an annual award that honors the country's urban school districts that are making the greatest improvements in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among ethnic groups and between high- and low-income students. The prize is the largest education award in the country given to a single school district. The total prize money each year is $1 million ($500,000 for the district selected for the top honor and $125,000 for each of the four finalists).

Boston has now earned a total of $1 million in scholarship money, having earned $500,000 total for being selected as a finalist in the previous four years.

"The Boston Public Schools is committed to providing a top quality education for all students," Reilinger said. "With a laser-like focus on improving teaching and learning and a dedication to training and supporting staff, schools across the city have demonstrated measurable improvements over the past few years. The Broad prize is a recognition of those efforts and should be celebrated."

"I am thankful to the Broad Foundation for this recognition," Contompasis said. "The leadership of the Mayor in putting education as a top priority and of the School Committee in continuing to help guide the education reform agenda in Boston are both major factors in the improvements we've seen in schools that allowed us to be selected for this award. Students in Boston are learning every day in schools in every part of the city and we're still improving. We will continue to work to ensure that every student who graduates with a BPS diploma has the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in work or continuing education."

More than 100 urban school districts nationwide were eligible for The Broad Prize this year. The five finalist districts were selected based on a rigorous review of data compiled and analyzed by the National Center for Educational Accountability. A board of 16 prominent educational leaders then reviewed the data and selected the five finalist districts.

Teams of educational researchers and practitioners then conducted site visits at each of the finalist school districts to gather statistical and qualitative information, including interviews with district administrators, focus groups with teachers and principals, and classroom observations.

The information was then presented to a selection jury, comprised of 11 prominent individuals from business and industry, education and public service, who selected the winning school district.

The other finalists this year are Bridgeport Public Schools, Jersey City Public Schools, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the New York City Department of Education

The previous winners are Norfolk Public Schools (2005), Garden Grove Unified School District (2004), Long Beach Unified School District (2003) and Houston Independent School District (2002).

For more information on the Broad Foundation or to view their press release visit www.broadfoundation.org.

The Boston Public Schools serves more than 58,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students in 145 schools.

Watch the Broad Prize awards ceremony on Boston City TV:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/cable/video_library.asp?id=692