Darling-Hammond honored with the 22nd Annual McGraw Prize in Education

Sarita E. Brown, President, Excelencia in Education;
Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education, Stanford University; and
Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli, Distinguished Professor, Educational Psychology, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut

New York, NY, September 29, 2009 – The 2009 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education honors Sarita Brown, Linda Darling-Hammond and Joseph Renzulli for their guiding work in accelerating educational success among Latinos, teacher training, and gifted and talented enrichment, respectively. Announced today by Harold McGraw III, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The McGraw-Hill Companies, the honorees will be recognized this evening at a dinner at the New York Public Library.

"Providing an exceptional education to students of all backgrounds and skills sets is critical if we want our country, and our citizens, to succeed in today's global, knowledge-based economy," said Mr. McGraw. "In order for our nation to maintain its standing in the world, our educational system needs innovators who are always looking to push beyond boundaries to identify creative, effective solutions to our biggest challenges. Each of this year's recipients has done just that and as a result has made a tremendous difference in the lives of students and educators."

The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education annually recognizes outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to enhancing learning in this country and whose accomplishments are making a difference today. Honorees are chosen by a distinguished Board of Judges from the education community. Each winner receives a gift of $25,000 and a bronze sculpture. The Prize was established in 1988 to honor Mr. McGraw's lifelong commitment to education and to mark the Corporation’s 100th anniversary.

"This year's McGraw Prize honorees have worked to raise the quality of our education system and are making a difference for English Language Learners and gifted and talented students, as well as in the quality of teaching for all," added Mr. McGraw. "Our hope is that this recognition highlights the work of these key innovators and helps broaden the impact of their solutions so that generations to come can benefit from their achievements."

2009 McGraw Prize Winners:

Sarita E. Brown – Sarita Brown is president of Excelencia in Education, a not-for-profit organization working to accelerate Latino success in higher education by linking research, policy and practice to serve Latino students. She has spent more than two decades at prominent national educational institutions and at the highest levels of government working to implement effective strategies to raise academic achievement and opportunity for low-income and minority students. In 1997, Brown was appointed executive director of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. She later founded Excelencia. Excelencia's work is broadly cited in research conducted by the U.S. Department of Education and national education organizations. Brown holds a B.A. in ethnic studies and a B.S. and M.A. in communication from University of Texas at Austin, where she started her career by building a national model promoting minority success in graduate education.

Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond – Linda Darling-Hammond is the Charles E. Ducommun professor of education at Stanford University where she founded and oversees the School Redesign Network. The national program works to transform schools to teach 21st century skills and support student success through innovations in district and school redesign, as well as in curriculum, teaching and assessment. Darling-Hammond also founded and co-directs the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education, which conducts research and policy analysis on issues affecting educational equity and opportunity. She is a former president of the American Educational Research Association and past executive director of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. Darling-Hammond recently served as the leader of President Barack Obama's education policy transition team. She received her B.A. from Yale University and her Ed.D. in urban education from Temple University.

Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli – Joseph Renzulli is a professor of educational psychology at UConn, where he holds an endowed position as the Neag Chair of Gifted Education and Talent Development and serves as director of the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Renzulli’s research has focused on the identification and development of creativity and giftedness in young people, and on organizational models and curricular strategies for differentiated learning environments that contribute to total school improvement. Over thirty years, Renzulli’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model has been used in more than 2,500 schools nationwide. Researchers have found the program improved attitudes among students, teachers, parents and administrators toward gifted education and produced positive results in achievement. Renzulli began his career as a math, reading and science teacher in Ocean Township, New Jersey. He received a B.A. from Glassboro State College in New Jersey, a M.Ed. from Rutgers University and an Ed.D. from the University of Virginia.

Former Winners:

In 2008, the honorees were: Richard Blais, Vice President and Co-Founder, Project Lead the Way; Judith Berry Griffin, Executive Director and Founder, Pathways to College; and Charles B. Reed, Chancellor, California State University. For a complete list of past honorees, please go to http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/prize/past.shtml.