Hillsborough County Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction
Information Item

DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

2007/2008 Recipients of National Merit, National Achievement Scholarship, and National Hispanic Recognition Programs (Curriculum and Instruction Division)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Initiative: Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation awards designations to college-bound seniors who have outstanding scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) which is taken during their junior year.

Goals: The goal of the National Merit Scholarship Program is to recognize the brightest students and present the most outstanding students with scholarships.

Targeted Population: All seniors who took the PSAT in their junior year are eligible for the following programs:

National Merit Finalist Program – The National Merit Finalist designation is one of the highest honors a high school student can achieve. Only the top one-half of one percent of the number of juniors in the nation who take the PSAT earn the honor of National Merit Finalist. We are proud to announce that 45 of our students earned this honor.

National Achievement Scholarship Program - The National Achievement Scholarship Program is an academic competition established to provide recognition of outstanding Black American high school students. We are proud to announce that 18 of our students were recognized in this program.

National Hispanic Recognition Program - The National Hispanic Recognition Program was initiated to identify outstanding Hispanic high school students and to share information about these academically well-prepared students with subscribing colleges and universities. We are proud to announce that 13 of our students were recognized in this program.

ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)

Goal 5 - The district will eliminate the achievement gap by a minimum of 10 percentage points as reported by No Child Left Behind.

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Funds of $3,000 for the recognition, reception, and plaques are provided through Pepsi Bottling Company.

EVALUATION

N/A

SUBMITTED BY: Frances Otero, Supervisor, Guidance Services

Pat Smith
Director, Guidance Services
(813) 273-7074
Michael A. Grego, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
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Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20080318_290 * Section B Item# 1