YISD named Broad Prize finalist for second straight year
Ysleta Independent School District Superintendent Michael Zolkoski announced the district is a finalist for the 2011 Broad Prize Tuesday. 
Ysleta Independent School District was named a finalist for the 2011 Broad Prize for Urban Education for the second consecutive year.
Superintendent Michael Zolkoski surprised central office staff this morning with the news.
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation selected YISD as one of four urban school districts in the nation to be recognized as finalists. The foundation’s committee selected finalists based on overall performance and improvement in student achievement. YISD will receive $150,000 in college scholarships for the 2012 graduating class for being a finalist.
The winner of the Broad Prize will be announced in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 20 and be awarded $550,000 in scholarships. All four of this year’s finalists have been finalists in previous years. Ysleta is the only district in Texas to be named a 2011 finalist; Socorro Independent School District was a finalist in 2009 and 2010.
Zolkoski said districts do not apply for the award, they are selected by a committee. He said he thinks Ysleta was named a finalist again because of narrowing the gap in student learning.
“I think we’re one of the best districts and we’re glad to be a finalist and hopefully we can bring that recognition back to El Paso,” Zolkoski said.
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