Lowell Milken TAP Founder's Award
North DeSoto Middle School in Louisiana Receives $50,000 TAP Founder's Award
Prestigious honor created by Lowell Milken recognizes school for distinction in TAP system implementation
Washington, D.C.—Lowell Milken, founder of TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement, today surprised leaders from North DeSoto Middle School in the DeSoto Parish School System, Louisiana, with the prestigious TAP Founder's Award. The award, which includes a $50,000 prize, was presented before more than 1,200 educators and policy leaders during a special luncheon at the 13th National TAP Conference in Washington, D.C.
Funded by the Lowell Milken Family Foundation, the TAP Founder's Award is given annually to one school for distinction in the implementation of TAP's comprehensive system of career advancement, daily job-embedded professional development, rigorous teacher evaluation and accountability, and performance-based compensation. Principal Keith Simmons and other members of the TAP Leadership Team accepted the award on the school's behalf.
"North DeSoto Middle School demonstrates our belief that if you implement the TAP system with fidelity, you will produce meaningful advances in teacher effectiveness and student achievement," said Lowell Milken. "I congratulate Principal Simmons and his talented team of educators on this honor, and wish them continued success in reaching their goals."
Robyn Fender, Master Teacher, Lytle High School, Lytle, Texas
"I love the TAP rubric’s transparency of the evaluation. Nothing is secret. It's all out there. And the teachers are trained and taught what quality teaching looks like."