Celebrating Excellence in Education 

Proceed to the 2013 Application

Download instructions, categories, eligibility and criteria.

Programs selected for an Education Excellence Award are recognized locally and statewide:

• Winning programs/school districts are spotlighted in MASB news releases sent to state and local media.
• Michigan's Best Award winners are invited to showcase their programs at MASB's Annual Fall Conference.
• MASB endorses winners' applications to present clinics at the National School Boards Association (NSBA) conference.
• School buildings with winning programs receive trophies and street signs to increase community awareness of exemplary education.
• Last but not least, all entries are listed in the Michigan's Best Directory, a popular guide to exemplary school programs. This directory is widely distributed to the media, lawmakers, education agencies and all school districts. Award winners are also highlighted in a searchable database on MASB's website. 

Eligibility:

• Programs must be operating in an MASB member district or intermediate school district.
• Programs must have been in operation for at least two school years prior to the entry deadline and must be operating at least one full semester during each school year.
• Programs must be original; not commercial programs (i.e. Reading Recovery, Parents as Teachers, HOSTS, PALS, RIF, etc.)
• Programs can't be a previous Education Excellence Award winner, either in your district or another.
• Applications must provide solid evidence of the program's positive impact on student achievement.
• Applications must detail costs and funding sources.
• The superintendent and board president must review the application and confirm review by checking a box on the application.
• Only one trophy and street sign will be awarded for each winning entry.

Programs may only be entered in one category, and local school districts must apply in the local district categories while ISDs must only apply in the ISD categories. In the case that your program fits into more than one category, select the category you feel is most appropriate.

Criteria and Judging:

All eligible entries will be evaluated, and the decision of the judges is final. Entries are judged by an independent panel of experts who represent a variety of state education specialists, content experts and education associations. Judges will evaluate each entry using a numeric scoring system. Point values are assigned to each question. All questions must be answered to qualify. The judges will be looking for programs that:

• Are proven;
  
• Are innovative;
  
• Provide benefits to students;
• Are scalable and adaptable; and
• Provide cost efficiencies. 

Categories:

We've revamped our categories for 2013 to better reflect the changing paths of innovation and excellence in public education, including adding two all new categories: Extra-Curricular Activities and Student-created Initiatives. When applying, please choose the category that most closely suits your program.

• Extra-Curricular Activities New for 2013!
• Community Engagement
• Creativity & the Arts (e.g. music, art, theater, video production, journalism/school newspaper, foreign language, Web design, social media, technology integration)
• Health, Wellness & School Safety (e.g. safety, health, fitness and nutrition, anti-bullying, programs for at-risk students, character education and self-esteem)
• Innovation in Social Sciences and Humanities
• Innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
• Innovation in Language Arts
• Student-created Initiatives New for 2013!
• ISD Programs: Developing regional, multi-district solutions (e.g. certification programs, CTE and career initiatives, special education)

Tips for a Winning Application:

• Highlight the impact on student achievement; keep the focus on students.
• Reevaluate your application and reapply if program didn't win in the past.
• Focus on data, judges like to see proof of the impact the program has had on the students.
• Check spelling and grammar.
• Put data into easily understood formats.
• Choose the right category; what category most embodies your program?
• Keep writing simple and clear – free of acronyms and jargon.

What to Include:
Applications must be submitted online. Be sure to complete all five (5) questions. Your entry must not exceed the allotted word count indicated for each question (noted on the application). We recommend that you type your answers in a Word document and then copy and paste your answers into the online application; you can't save your application and return to it later. This is also a great way to allow your board president and superintendent to review the application.

Proceed to the 2013 Application

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