DeSoto Parish Schools, LA, Receives 2019 $50,000 District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness

NIET presents DeSoto Parish Schools with the 2019-20 District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness, which comes with a $50,000 prize. The award was announced at an all-school assembly at Mansfield Elementary School, also attended by state and local officials. View the full story. 

From left to right: DeSoto Executive Master Teacher Nicole Bolen; Louisiana House Representative Larry Bagley; NIET Senior Program Specialist Lindsey Parker; NIET President and COO Dr. Joshua Barnett; NIET Chairman and Founder Lowell Milken; DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley; NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen; DeSoto Parish School Board President Bobby Boyd; and DeSoto Parish Schools Director of Student Learning Kathy Noel.  

Flip through the gallery to see how the event unfolds.

Mansfield Elementary School Principal Brittany Anderson opens the all-school assembly. DeSoto's principal of the year, Anderson's leadership in increasing educator effectiveness and student achievement resulted in the largest school performance growth in DeSoto Parish Schools for 2019. "TAP gives us the structure to improve," she said.

DeSoto Parish Schools' academic growth is music to everyone's ears. The Mansfield Elementary School choir performs at the all-school celebration. The students will have something extra to be singing about by its conclusion!

All hands were on deck to celebrate the academic growth of Mansfield Elementary and DeSoto Parish Schools. Mansfield Elementary alone experienced a double-digit jump in its 2019 school performance score, and the district was among the top 10 most improved school systems in the state.

DeSoto Parish Schools organized a pep rally at Mansfield Elementary School today not knowing that NIET had a big surprise in store. Central to the district's significant growth is the quality of its leaders and educators like DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley and Mansfield Elementary School Principal Brittany Anderson.

There's an all-school assembly at Mansfield Elementary School billed as a pep rally to celebrate DeSoto Parish Schools' academic growth on state tests. 2019 results shows DeSoto ranking as #12 overall in the state for performance, up from #45 in 2009. DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley addresses the assembly and discusses the district's decade-long partnership with NIET. He introduces NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen, having no idea that this will begin a dramatic rollout of one big surprise!

NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen commends DeSoto Parish Schools for its dedication to investing in educators' professional growth, fostering teacher leadership, and increasing student success.

"DeSoto Parish Schools have shown how a sustained and relentless focus on human capital development and strong core instruction every day has the power to improve the outcomes both for students in classrooms right now and those who will sit in their desks for years to come," Dr. McQueen said.

NIET Chairman and Founder Lowell Milken (left) announces that DeSoto Parish Schools has earned the 2019 District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness, which comes with a $50,000 prize. The district, led by Superintendent Clay Corley (right), is the only recipient of the award this school year.

"DeSoto Parish Schools is a model for the nation and an example of how a commitment to high-quality teaching can change the lives of students,” Lowell Milken said. Watch the surprise announcement unfold.

NIET Chairman and Founder Lowell Milken has another surprise: The District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness comes with a financial prize: $50,000! The money will help advance DeSoto's mission of placing educator effectiveness at the cornerstone of improving student achievement. Thunderous applause ensue!

To cheers from the audience, NIET President and COO Dr. Joshua Barnett, NIET Senior Program Specialist Lindsey Parker, and Mansfield Elementary School Principal Brittany Anderson unfurl the Award check, revealing the $50,000 prize.

Upon hearing the news from NIET Chairman and Founder Lowell Milken (left), DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley accepts the prestigious District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness on the district's behalf. Noting that implementing the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement is a group effort, Corley was quick to thank his team at the district office and the educators and students in schools who "make the TAP System happen every day."

"I'm honored to be reaping the benefits of the TAP System," Corley said, "and to see you – the students – reap the real benefits." Watch a video of Corley's acceptance speech.

Flanked by NIET and DeSoto leaders showcasing the district's surprise Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness, DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent thanks everyone assembled for building a strong teacher force that has helped significantly increase student achievement.

NIET Chairman and Founder Lowell Milken (second from right) and NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen (fourth from right) join DeSoto leaders in celebrating the 2019 District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness.

NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen, DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley, and NIET Chairman and Founder Lowell Milken celebrate the District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness.

DeSoto Parish Schools Director of Learning Kathy Noel and NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen share in the excitement of the news: The district just received the 2019 Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness, and $50,000!

"What made us successful at TAP in those early years was building a cadre of leaders who could support the changes out in the schools and work every day to support teachers," Noel said, reflecting on the beginning of the NIET partnership a decade ago. She cited finding strong teacher leaders and focusing on data and student work as keys to meaningful and notable academic growth. "Now, nothing happens without it making a difference in student learning."

Upon arriving at Mansfield Elementary School, leaders from NIET and DeSoto Parish Schools discuss increases in teacher effectiveness and student achievement over the past decade. They're about to hold an all-school assembly celebrating the school's and district's growth. What DeSoto Parish School officials don't know is that the assembly will conclude with one big announcement!

From left to right: NIET President and COO Dr. Joshua Barnett, NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen, NIET Senior Program Specialist Lindsey Parker, DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley, and Mansfield Elementary School Principal Brittany Anderson.

NIET has a 20-year history of working alongside partners to meet their educational needs. Before the all-school assembly, DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley (standing) leads NIET leaders and staff into classrooms at Mansfield Elementary School. Here, NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen visits with Corley as NIET President and COO Dr. Joshua Barnett and Senior Program Specialist Lindsey Parker work with students. 

Before today's surprise assembly, NIET CEO Dr. Candice McQueen visits Mansfield Elementary students in their classrooms.

Before the all-school assembly, NIET President and COO Dr. Joshua Barnett pays a visit to a Mansfield Elementary classroom and observes student learning in action.

Before today's surprise celebration, NIET Senior Program Specialist Lindsey Parker visits with a Mansfield Elementary student. Parker provides support to DeSoto Parish Schools through her role at NIET.