OBEC, 2004 National Award Recipient

Ed Trust's Dispelling the Myth Award for Community Leaders

Annually Ed Trust honors community leaders, high-performing, high-improving, and gap-closing schools and districts from around the nation with its Dispelling the Myth Awards. Through high expectations, hard work, and smarter ways of working, these leaders are helping to dispel the devastating myth that poor and minority children cannot learn to high academic levels. 2004 was the first year a non-school based organization was recognized.

Business leaders have an intense interest in having a strong public education system because today's students are tomorrow's employees. The level of knowledge students acquire today will determine their ability to get a job tomorrow. Several states have business-led coalitions impacting education reform in constructive, measurable ways. Speaking with a loud voice, these coalitions, because they are not subject to term limits or elections, are key to maintaining continuity for state education policy.

Since 1990 The Education Trust has used advocacy, data analysis, and expert testimony to encourage closing the education gap that separates low-income students and students of color from other youth.