Abbreviation | MEA |
---|---|
Formation | 1985-87 |
Type | Nonprofit organization |
Legal status | Foundation award program |
Purpose | To celebrate, elevate and activate the teaching profession |
Headquarters | Santa Monica |
Location |
|
Region served | United States |
Membership | Over 2,600 |
Official language | English |
Executive Director | Lowell Milken, Milken Family Foundation Chairman and co-founder |
Parent organization | Milken Family Foundation |
Website |
www |
The Milken Educator Awards is an educator recognition program in the United States that provides unrestricted grants of $25,000 cash to teachers deemed successful, in surprise ceremonies. Created in 1985 by education reformer and philanthropist Lowell Milken [1] [2] and first presented in 1987, this initiative of the Milken Family Foundation has presented awards to over 2,900 teachers across the United States, averaging around 30-40 teachers per year. [3] Teacher Magazine nicknamed the program the "Oscars of Teaching." [4] The award currently gives $25,000 in unrestricted funds to teachers who are early in their career, or mid-career, to reward them "for what they have achieved—and for the promise of what they will accomplish in the future." [5] Recipients are ambushed at school assemblies or other public events to be publicly celebrated with the surprise announcement of the awards. [6] For example, in January 2016, a Hawaii high school science teacher was "shocked" to receive the award, given at a school-wide assembly. [7]
Since its founding and first award presentation, the Milken Educator Awards has recognized over 2,900 teachers with awards that include an individual, unrestricted cash prize of $25,000. [8] Through the program, the Milken Family Foundation has awarded over $74 million to the award recipients. [9]
There is no nomination process to be considered for the Milken Educator Award. Candidates are confidentially recommended to the Foundation by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state's department of education. [10]
Based on guidelines established by the Foundation, participating states' departments of education appoint blue-ribbon committees that recommend candidates for selection. Identification and selection procedures are confidential, and the program does not include a formal nomination or application procedure. The criteria for the selection of outstanding elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and other education professionals as Milken Educators include all of the following:
The goals of the Milken Educator Awards are:
Recipients are caught by surprise when their names are announced at emotional all-school assemblies in front of cheering students, proud colleagues, distinguished officials and the media.
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