The Houston Independent School District has been awarded the Broad Prize for Urban Education for the second time, recognizing its efforts in improving student achievement and reducing academic gaps. As the 2013 winner, the district will receive $550,000 in college scholarships for high school seniors in the district. Philanthropist Eli Broad and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praised Houston’s leaders and other large urban school districts for their progress in narrowing academic gaps between low-income and minority students and their more privileged counterparts.
The Broad Prize is open to the 75 largest urban school districts in the country. Four finalists were chosen by a review board composed of education researchers, policy researchers, practitioners, and executives from universities and education associations. A selection jury then selected Houston based on student performance data and district policies. The other finalists for the prize were Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina, the San Diego Unified School District, and Corona-Norco Unified School District in California, all of which will receive $150,000 in scholarships for their graduating seniors.
Houston serves around 210,000 students, 80% of whom qualify for federally subsidized meal programs. The district has a diverse student body, with 62% Hispanic, 26% African American, 3% Asian, and 8% white students. Houston was recognized for its students’ academic gains, its efforts to improve college-readiness, and its success in narrowing achievement gaps for low-income and Hispanic students.
Despite its high poverty rate, Houston’s students surpassed expectations on state tests following the adoption of more rigorous standards in 2012. The district also experienced a significant increase in its graduation rate, from 64.3% in 2007 to 78.8% in 2012. Additionally, the achievement gaps between Hispanic students and white students in high school math and science were reduced by over 50% on state tests. Houston Superintendent Terry Grier attributed the district’s success to its focus on quality teaching and its commitment to site-based decision-making, which gives principals and teachers more flexibility.
Houston has a merit pay plan in place to recognize outstanding teachers and has implemented measures to increase the number of highly effective teachers in the classroom. The district allows families to choose which school their child attends, as long as there is space available. Grier emphasized that Houston has made it a priority to ensure that a child’s zip code does not hinder their access to a quality education.
Houston was previously awarded the first Broad Prize in 2002. However, questions were raised about the accuracy of the district’s dropout rates after the initial award. Despite the criticisms, Houston and the other Broad finalists have shown improvement in student achievement. Eli Broad noted that while there is still work to be done, the districts are moving in the right direction.
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