Map of All Recognized Bright Spots in Hispanic Education
In commemoration of the Initiative’s 25th anniversary, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (Initiative) made a national call for nominations for Bright Spots in Hispanic Education (Bright Spots) with the goal of highlighting the ongoing efforts that are taking place across the country, at the local, state and federal levels, to support Latino educational attainment and excellence. As Hispanics continue to make progress from cradle-to-career, it is ever more important that we identify and highlight asset-based, solution-oriented innovations that are helping close the achievement gap for Latinos.
Bright Spots are programs, models, organizations, or initiatives that target, address, and/or invest in key education priorities for Hispanics and are helping close the achievement gap – from cradle to career. The Initiative acknowledges that identifying and implementing strategies and solutions that aim to support Hispanic students in their academic careers is critical to ensuring their success, and ultimately the nation’s. The Initiative also seeks to leverage these Bright Spots to encourage collaboration between stakeholders focused on similar issues in sharing data-driven approaches, promising practices, peer advice, and effective partnerships, ultimately resulting in increased support for the educational attainment of the Hispanic community.
Nominate a Bright Spots by downloading the Nomination Form [PDF] and [DOC].
BRIGHT SPOTS CRITERIA
Proposed Bright Spots will be selected and recognized based on the following criteria:
- Target: Is the target audience for the program Hispanic? Are a significant number of students served by this program or model Hispanic? Do the practices in place impact Hispanic students and families?
- Focus: Does the proposed Bright Spot support key educational priorities: Early Learning, College Access, College Completion, STEM education, Latino Teacher Recruitment?
- Impact: Has the proposed Bright Spot increased educational outcomes for Hispanic students?
- Measurable: Does the proposed Bright Spot demonstrate an evidence-based approach? Is the Bright Spot based on data-driven solutions? Are there measurable goals that evaluate the effectiveness of the Bright Spot? Does the proposed Bright Spot have data to prove its success and impact.
RECOGNITION
All selected Bright Spots, on an ongoing basis, will receive recognition throughout the Initiative’s outreach and communications and will be included in the Bright Spots in Hispanic Education national online catalog.
SUBMITTING A BRIGHT SPOT NOMINATION
Provide information on the proposed Bright Spot based on the questions listed in the Bright Spots in Hispanic Education Nomination Form. Please submit the nomination via email or hard copy.
Email the Nomination Form to WHIEEH@ed.gov with subject line “Bright Spot Nomination” or submit a hard copy to the following address: White House Initiative on Educational Excellence For Hispanics; c/o Bright Spot; 400 Maryland Ave. S.W., Room 4W108; Washington, D.C. 20202
Bright Spot nominations will be approved on an ongoing basis.
Initiative staff will review the nominated Bright Spots on an ongoing basis based on the criteria described in the Bright Spots Criteria section of this document. Initiative staff may contact you with additional questions, to provide feedback and/or inform you whether the proposed Bright Spot has been selected.
Have Questions? Email Emmanuel Caudillo at Emmanuel.Caudillo@ed.gov.
By submitting a Bright Spot in Hispanic Education (Bright Spot) nomination (which includes the associated nomination form), the entrant (Nominator) agrees to the Nomination guidelines and these terms and conditions.
Conversations with Bright Spots
To elevate their work, including promising practices, of these Bright Spots and learn from their experience, the Initiative is has hosted a series of public engagements [video], via Google + Hangout.
These interactive sessions will provide an opportunity to hear from programs, models, organizations, or initiatives that are helping close the achievement gap, from cradle-to-career, for Hispanics students, and for discussing ways to continue moving the needle on progress for Latino students and families forward.
Access our entire playlist of Google+ Hangouts including: