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Published: March 22 2012

William Dandy Middle SchoolThe National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) has named Broward County Public Schools William Dandy Middle School in Fort Lauderdale a 2012 NCUST National Excellence in Urban Education Award winner. Through the Excellence in Urban Education Award program, NCUST at San Diego State University awards and celebrates America's best urban schools.

Since 2006, the NCUST has been honoring what it calls "phenomenal schools" each year. The goals of the award program are to: recognize the talent, dedication, and hard work of urban school educators and students; educate the public about the accomplishments and potential of urban schools; provide a benchmark of excellence that motivates the reform efforts of urban schools and districts; and deepen the knowledge base of best practices for promoting urban school transformation.

In announcing its winners, the national organization called this year's competition the most competitive field of applicants it has had to review. From the list of 27 finalists, William Dandy was selected as one of 14 winners, which means that even among these elite schools – schools across the country that had achieved phenomenal successes – it has been crowned the best of the best.

In making that decision, NCUST officials, who celebrate America's best urban schools, conducted one-day site visits to each finalist school. During these site visits, they looked for evidence of high achievement, rigorous curriculum, excellent instruction and enthusiastic engagement. The schools in which they found the greatest evidence of these elements became winners of the 2012 award and with it a cash award of $2,500. Winners will be recognized at the Excellence in Urban Education National Symposium, May 23-25, 2012 in San Diego, CA.

"If every school in America served diverse populations of students as well as the National Excellence in Urban Education Award schools, achievement gaps would be eliminated," affirms Dr. Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., Executive Director of the National Center for Urban School Transformation at the San Diego State University College of Education.

Sixty-two elementary, middle, and high schools in 40 districts and 17 states have won Excellence in Urban Education Awards since 2006. William Dandy Middle was a finalist and winner of the award in 2008 and becomes the first school in the nation to be a two-time winner of the award in the history of the NCUST.

ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), the nation's sixth largest public school system, is an "A" rated School District. BCPS is the largest fully accredited district in the nation, with over 258,000 students and approximately 150,000 adult students in 234 schools and education centers and 76 charter schools. For more information about BCPS, visit www.browardschools.com. Follow BCPS on Twitter (@Browardschools). Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/browardschools.