The 2010 application deadline has passed. Please consider applying next year.

In 1994, MASB decided that Michigan's school districts needed help creating public awareness of the great things happening in classrooms across the state. Central to this goal was the desire to provide a vehicle for telling the good news and for strengthening confidence in public education.

In 2000, MASB invited SET SEG School Insurance Specialists to partner in celebrating school excellence. With SET SEG's exclusive sponsorship and generous financial support, MASB has signficantly enhanced the annual Education Excellence Awards Program.

From the hundreds of programs entered in several program categories, judges select the top three programs in each category for the Education Excellence Award. Winners receive trophies, media recognition and street signs to post outside their school proclaiming them a Winner—Education Excellence Award. Those winners move on to the final phase of judging and the top program is awarded the prestigious Michigan's Best Award. This three-part recognition includes a presence at MASB's Annual Fall Conference; a check for $1,500 to enhance and maintain the program; and an elegant trophy symbolizing high honor.

All programs selected for an Education Excellence Award are recognized regionally 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 Web site. 

Eligibility
Please review carefully:

• 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.)
• Applications must provide solid evidence of the program's positive impact on student achievement.
• Applications must detail costs and funding sources.
• Applications must be signed by both the superintendent and board president (unless submitting online, in which case 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.

New Categories!
MASB has reworked the categories this year to better match the types of programs school districts are implementing. 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.

Local District Categories:

• New! Before and After School Programs
• Community Relations
• Revised! Creative and Media Arts (e.g. music, art, theater, video production, journalism/school newspaper, foreign language, Web design, social media, technology integration)
• Health and School Safety (e.g. safety, health, fitness and nutrition, character education and self-esteem)
• Revised! Improving Student Achievement for At-Risk and Special Education Students (e.g. limited English proficiency, low income, minorities, special education)
• Improving Student Achievement in English Language Arts and Social Studies
• Improving Student Achievement in Math and Science
• Revised! School Improvement/Professional Development

ISD Categories:

• Career/Technical Education
• Special Education
• Staff Development
• Technology Integration

What to Include:
Type and submit the answers to five (5) important questions on a separate form and attach to the offical application (unless submitting online). Your entry must not exceed the allotted word count indicated for each question (noted on the application). For mailed entries, please submit five copies of the entire entry. Each question must be answered. Photos and news clippings may be included, but your entire entry must not exceed six (6) pages.

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.

Download a 2010 Education Excellence Application