Fulton School System Wins Urban School Board Excellence Award

The Fulton County School System is one of two national winners of the 2014 Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence.

The award was announced at the National School Boards Association’s Council of Urban Boards of Education conference this past weekend in Miami, where school boards from around the country gathered to learn about issues and trends affecting urban districts as well as best practices to help close the achievement gap.

Urban school systems are defined as districts with high diversity and high needs, especially those that historically have underrepresented or underserved students.

Each year CUBE recognizes exemplary school boards of urban districts for their excellence in governance, ability to build civic capacity, success in closing the achievement gap and working for equity in education, and demonstrated success of academic excellence.

Last year, Fulton County Schools was a national finalist in the 2013 awards program but this is the first year it was named a winner.

“Fulton County Schools has shown tangible results due to both strong leadership and innovative change,” said Thomas Gentzel, NSBA executive director. “Their success stories are inspiring and have the opportunity to strengthen and propel change in other large school districts.”

As they received the award, Fulton County School Board members showcased the district’s work and shared success stories and best practices, highlighting the crucial connection between effective school board governance and student achievement.

“We’re proud to receive this award, both because it recognizes our schools’ strategic, focused efforts to close the achievement gap, but also because it allows us to share our best practices and be a model for other districts with similar challenges,” said Linda Schultz, school board president.

As part of the award, Fulton County Schools is receiving a $2,500 prize and will be featured in the fall issue of Urban Advocate, CUBE’s quarterly publication.

“Through our school board’s leadership, our district is seeing positive results, especially in our African American and Hispanic student populations. We’re changing the narrative when it comes to what others think about diversity, socioeconomics and achievement,” said Superintendent Robert Avossa. “A child’s background is not a set indicator of his or her future. What does affect it, however, is what our teachers and leaders do to help them learn and be successful.”

In addition to this national honor, last year Fulton County Schools was selected as a first place winner in the 19th annual Magna Awards program sponsored by the National School Boards Association’s American School Board Journal. The Magna Awards recognize districts across the country for outstanding programs that advance student learning and encourage community involvement in schools. This was the second time the district won the national award since the recognition program debuted in 1995.

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools is the other school district receiving the national award.

More information on CUBE and past winners is available on its website.

(Photo: From left to right, Antonio Hunter, Sodexo; Van Henri White, CUBE Chair; Kendley Davenport, Sodexo; Linda McCain, Fulton County School Board Vice President; Catherine Maddox, Fulton County School Board Member; Linda Bryant, Fulton County School Board Member; Linda Schultz, Fulton County School Board President; Ken Holdman, Sodexo; and Dr. Robert Avossa, Fulton County Schools Superintendent. Credit: Fulton County Schools)