Orange County Public Schools Could Get Scholarship Windfall
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
By: Matthew Peddie

May 21, 2014 | WMFE,Orlando- The Orange County Public School District could win three quarters of a million dollars in college scholarships.

Education experts are touring the school district this week to gather information for the jury panel that will award the prize.

The Broad Prize for Urban Education recognizes school districts which demonstrate improvement in student achievement.

This year’s prize will fund college scholarships for high school seniors graduating in 2015.

The prize is awarded annually by the LA based Eli and Edythe Broad foundation.

Communications manager Swati Pandey says students who win the scholarships are those who- like the school districts- demonstrate improved performance in high school. 

"We find there’s a lot of scholarships available for students who’ve gotten straight A’s but this is really for students who’ve demonstrated determination to up their grades over four years and demonstrate financial need,” says Pandey. 

She says it’s unusual to have only two school districts as finalists for the prize. 

“Usually there are 4 or 5 finalists for the Broad prize but this year the review board thought that while districts are definitely improving there isn’t enough improvement and the review board decided to only award districts they thought were really making a difference.”

Orange County is up against Gwinette County Public Schools in Georgia for the $750,000 grand prize; the runner up will get $250,000.

If OCPS wins the award it will be the second Florida school district to do so.

The 2012 winner was Miami Dade County public schools. 

Education experts will interview more than 300 school officials during their four day visit. The winning district will be announced in September.