YES Prep Public Schools Wins Inaugural Broad Prize for Public Charter Schools

• YES Prep Hispanic and low-income students outperformed their peers statewide in reaching advanced academic levels more often than other large urban CMOs. In 2011, the percentage of YES Prep's low-income students who performed at the highest achievement level (Commended) ranked in the top third in the state for every available comparison (middle and high school reading, math and science). In contrast, low-income students in Broad Prize-eligible CMOs on average ranked in the top third just 32 percent of the time. Similarly, in 2011, the percentage of YES Prep's Hispanic students performing at the Commended level ranked in the top third of comparisons with Hispanic students statewide every time, while eligible CMOs on average did so 44 percent of the time.

• YES Prep achieved higher Advanced Placement participation and passing rates than other CMOs.In 2011, 53 percent of Hispanic juniors and seniors in YES Prep Public Schools took at least one AP exam, compared with The Broad Prize-eligible CMO average of 37 percent. Fifty-one percent of Hispanic juniors and seniors in YES Prep Public Schools who took AP tests received passing scores, compared with the eligible CMO average of 33 percent.

• YES Prep outperformed other large urban CMOs and the national average in SAT participation and scores. In 2011, 89 percent of Hispanic seniors in YES Prep Public Schools took the SAT compared with The Broad Prize-eligible CMO average of 65 percent. African-American students in YES Prep schools achieved a higher average SAT combined score for reading, writing and mathematics-1556-than any other eligible CMO. The national SAT average for African-American students is 1273.

For more information on YES Prep's student outcomes, the school system and its educational model, visit: http://www.broadprize.org/publiccharterschools/2012.html.

As the winner, YES Prep will receive $250,000 to support low-income student college readiness efforts of its choice, such as scholarships, speaker series or campus visits.