As Louisiana strives to improve in education, one school in rural Louisiana has exceeded expectations and is in the running for a national award.
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) is based in Phoenix, Arizona, but it assists schools and districts nationwide. Dr. Joshua Barnett is the Chief Executive Officer that joined the non-profit in 2013. He says that the NIET works to support both teachers and students.
"We do that by providing schools and districts, state leaders and universities with support around professional learning to build instructional coherence and instructional alignment at the classroom level, to school level, to district level, to system level, to state, to try to make sure that all educators are able to improve their practices to reach and provide the best opportunity for all students," Dr. Barnett says.
Since 2008, the NIET has given the prestigious Founder’s Award every year to one school in the United States. The Grand Prize-Winning school is awarded $50,000 at the NIET’s national conference.
"It’s given to one selected school across the United States that really exemplifies that dedication to improving teaching and learning."
There are many qualifications for the Founder’s Award, including dedicated efforts for effective and improved instruction, classroom opportunities for all students, impact on student growth, outstanding performance levels, an environment made for effective professional learning, a system that supports educators within the school, and a collaborative culture that is dedicated to improvement.
Dr. Barnett says that the award is meant to improve schools and school districts for students across the nation and achieving that is more than what is taught by teachers in the classroom.
"So, certainly we have core classroom instruction, but we also have electives and education that provides students with the wealth of opportunity to take year booking or band or sports or other activities that they can be involved with," Dr. Barnett says. "And, through the combination of all of those different opportunities, the education system provides and tries to meet the needs of every student."
This year, Provencal Elementary and Junior High School in the Natchitoches Parish School District is one of the five finalists for the award.
"This particular school has continued to increase its own performance and its own dedication towards excellence. And it has continued to achieve improved status, most recently earning an ‘A’ letter grade on their state assessment," Dr. Barnett says. "So, that reflects that dedication towards excellence."
Provencal Elementary and Junior High School is in rural Louisiana, and it serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students. According to NEIT, 90% of this school’s population classify as economically disadvantaged. Yet, the school’s leadership team has worked to help students reach academic achievement, as well as being inclusive and supportive for its students.
Dr. Barnett says the award is so much more than receiving the cash prize. He says the education profession needs to be rewarded just like other jobs, and this award can generate excellence in education.
"Recognized finalists and recipients of this award not only receive the financial prize and the opportunity for that, but they also serve as a national model for excellence in teaching, collaboration and growth in student achievement to really show the transformational power of a strong instructional team," he says.
He says he is excited to see how schools learn from the winner of this year’s award and strive for their own improvement.
"And that is the real power of that recognition," Dr. Barnett says. "It’s driving change and seeing that spotlight. And, understanding ‘Well, what did they do to get in that opportunity, and then what can I start to do at my school?’ And that’s how we see systems change and create opportunities for all students."
With Red River Radio News, I’m Alaina Atnip.