2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education Awarded to Aldine Independent School District; Texas District Wins $1 Million, Four Finalists Each Win $250,000

• Richard W. Riley, former U.S. secretary of education and former governor of South Carolina

• Donna Shalala, president of the University of Miami and former U.S. secretary of health and human services

• Margaret Spellings, vice president of the National Chamber Foundation and former U.S. secretary of education

• Andrew L. Stern, international president of Service Employees International Union

The selection jury evaluated quantitative data on the finalists, consisting of publicly available student performance data compiled and analyzed by MPR Associates, Inc., a leading national education research consulting firm. In addition, the jury evaluated the five finalist districts’ policies and practices, based on site visits, interviews with administrators, teachers, principals, parents, community leaders, school board members and union representatives and classroom observations. The site visits were conducted by a team of education practitioners led by SchoolWorks, an education consulting company based in Beverly, Mass.

Aldine was originally selected as a finalist by a review board of 20 prominent education researchers, policy leaders, practitioners and executives from leading universities, national education associations, think-tanks and foundations that evaluated publicly available student performance data.

Because Aldine won this year’s Broad Prize, its high school seniors who graduate in 2010 will be eligible for $1 million in college scholarships. Broad Prize scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate significant financial need and show a record of academic improvement during their high school career. Scholarship recipients who enroll in four-year colleges will receive up to $20,000 paid out over four years ($5,000 per year). Broad Prize scholars who enroll in two-year colleges receive up to $5,000 scholarships paid out over two years ($2,500 per year). For more information, please visit www.broadprize.org/scholarship_program.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation is a national venture philanthropy established by entrepreneur and philanthropist Eli Broad to advance entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science and the arts. The Broad Foundation’s education work is focused on dramatically improving urban K-12 public education through better governance, management, labor relations and competition. The Broad Foundation’s Internet address is www.broadfoundation.org.