Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has been named a finalist for the largest education prize in the nation -- $1 million for college scholarships.

The annual Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation Prize recognizes urban school districts that show the greatest performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing the achievement gaps between poor and minority students.

CMS was a finalist for the prize in 2004.

“We are very honored to have our work in increasing student achievement recognized by the Broad Foundation,” said CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman said in a statement. “We will continue our efforts to improve the achievement of our students by focusing on getting an effective teacher into every classroom.”

CMS is up against four other urban districts: Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland and two districts in El Paso, Texas, Socorro Independent School District and Ysleta Independent School District.

Each district named a finalist gets $250,000 in scholarship money.

Among the reasons cited by the review board in choosing CMS as a finalist:

• In 2009, Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s African-American and Hispanic students achieved higher average proficiency rates than their counterparts in North Carolina in reading and math at all school levels (elementary, middle, high school).
   
• In recent years, Charlotte-Mecklenburg narrowed achievement gaps between its African-American and white students in reading and math at all school levels. In addition, Charlotte-Mecklenburg narrowed achievement gaps between its Hispanic and white students in math at all school levels, and in middle and high school reading. For example, between 2007 and 2009, the gap between Hispanic and white students in high school math narrowed by 9 percentage points.
   
• In 2009, a greater percentage of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s African-American and Hispanic students performed at the highest achievement level on state reading and math assessments at all school levels than did their counterparts statewide.
• Between 2006 and 2009, SAT exam scores and participation rates increased for African-American and Hispanic high school seniors in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. For example, during this period, SAT exam scores for African-American high school seniors increased by 21 points while participation rates rose by 5 percentage points.

A winner will be announced Oct. 19 in New York. During the next two months, a team of judges will visit each finalist district, gathering information and talking with parents, community leaders, school board members and union representatives.

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