10 Mar 2010
Nathan Adams Elementary is One of 13 Schools Nationwide to Receive the Award
DALLAS–Dallas Independent School District's Nathan Adams Elementary School is among only 13 schools nationwide to receive the National Center for Urban School Transformation's 2010 National Excellence in Urban Education Award.
To be eligible for the award, schools are required to meet 11 rigorous criteria in the areas of proficiency rates on state assessments, high attendance and graduation rates, attainment of No Child Left Behind adequate yearly progress, and other indicators of academic excellence.
"This is a very exciting and inspiring news," said Dallas ISD Superintendent of Schools Michael Hinojosa. "I thank Principal Jean McGill and the staff at Nathan Adams Elementary for their efforts, commitment and dedication to improve student academic achievement."
The goals of the National Center for Urban School Transformation's Excellence in Urban Education awards program are to recognize the hard work, dedication, and talent of urban school educators and students; educate the public about the accomplishments and potential of urban schools; provide a concrete benchmark of excellence that motivates reform efforts; and deepen the knowledge base of best practices for promoting urban school transformation.
Nathan Adams Elementary is the second school in Dallas ISD to receive the National Excellence in Urban Education Award. James Bonham Elementary School was the recipient of the award in 2009.
"Dallas ISD students are showing improvement on college readiness indicators… and (the district) has shown improvement on Broad Prize indicators. Among the comparison Texas urban districts, only Houston ISD slightly outperforms Dallas ISD."