On Top of the News
Broad Foundation Puts Hold on Its Prize for Urban Education
2/2/15| District Dossier (Ed Week)

Behind the Headline
End. The Broad Prize. Now.
10/2/13 | Education Next blog

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation today announced that it will “pause” its $1 million annual award, the Broad Prize for Urban Education. The award is given to an urban school district that  makes great strides in improving student achievement. The Foundation said that the prize will be put on hold because of “sluggish” academic results from the country’s largest urban school systems, explains Denisa Superville, writing for District Dossier. The Foundation will consider how it can improve the prize.

Andy Smarick has previously urged the Foundation to “End. The Broad Prize. Now.” because even the highest-performing urban school districts are not posting very impressive results. He wrote

If we want to help disadvantaged urban kids, we must stop propping up the failed urban district. We must stop driving our most talented and dedicated professionals into this disastrous structure that has repulsed every effort to improve it for half a century.

We must build The Urban School System of the Future, not double down on the failed urban district of the past.

– Education Next