Four Dallas ISD elementary schools are among 22 schools across the nation that have been named finalists for the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) Excellence in Urban Education Award, which recognizes urban schools that serve socioeconomically disadvantaged students who are excelling academically.
The four schools are: John Quincy Adams, Jimmie Tyler Brashear, John J. Pershing and Walnut Hill elementary schools.
“These schools are extraordinary examples of what can be accomplished when we believe in the abilities of our students and provide high quality classroom instruction and other key supports that make a real difference,” said Superintendent Mike Miles.
Schools named as finalists for this honor are considered to be the nation’s highest-performing urban schools that successfully navigate through the many barriers to academic achievement.
“We face enormous challenges in Dallas ISD with 90 percent of our students coming from challenging backgrounds,” Miles said. “This recognition reaffirms what we’ve said all along—that excellence is a viable option for all students. However, it does requires bold and innovative measures.”
According to NCUST, the award:
- Honors the nation’s highest-performing urban elementary, middle and high schools, as well as alternative schools.
- Recognizes schools that are achieving a wide array of impressive academic results.
- Recognizes schools that achieve outstanding results for every demographic group they serve.
NCUST will now conduct extensive site visits at each school. Those with successful visits will become 2015 bronze-level winners. Schools that show the greatest evidence of strength will become silver-level winners and will be announced in March. All winners will be recognized at the Symposium on Excellence in Urban Education in Dallas in May where NCUST will identify one school in each category (elementary, middle, and high school as well as alternative school) as gold-level winners.
