Finally, Good News in Urban Education

Urban education in the U.S. isn’t the topic that most frequently pops up on Tonic — generally, the news just isn’t good news. So let’s give a round of applause to the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundations for giving us an excuse to talk about some city schools that are doing right by their students.

According to a foundation press release, the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education, the U.S.’s largest education prize, goes to the Aldine Independent School District in Texas. The prize recognizes large urban school districts that are providing quality education to all students and paying special attention to helping poor and minority students excel.

Aldine district is a low-income area — four-fifths of its students qualify for free and reduced school lunch — but that hasn’t stopped it from ensuring that its students are always achieving. In fact, the school district:

• Was more effective than comparable Texas districts;
• Ensured minorities and other subgroups did well;
• Narrowed achievement gaps;
• Showed that poverty doesn’t have to mean poor education; and
• Demonstrated itself to be organized and well run.

For these achievements, Aldine district will receive $1 million to provide graduating seniors with college scholarships. Now this is good news in education.

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