Every year, the Broad Foundation awards a $1 million prize to an urban school district “that demonstrates the greatest overall performance and improvement while reducing achievement gaps among ethnic groups and income levels.”
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools won The Broad Prize in 2011. This year, Cumberland County Schools is a finalist for the 2013 award. There are three other district finalists – Corona-Norco Unified School District (CA), Houston Independent School District, and San Diego Unified School District. The Broad Foundation will announce the award on September 25, 2013.
The Cumberland County Schools has an extensive, intra-district school choice program, offering 40 programs in the elementary schools, eight in the middle schools, and 20 in the high schools.