The Los Angeles-based Broad Foundation has announced the finalists for this year's Broad Prize for Urban Education, an annual $1 million prize awarded to the most outstanding urban school districts in the nation.

The Broad Prize honors urban school districts that are making the greatest improvements in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among ethnic groups and between high- and low-income students. In 2005, the winning district will receive $500,000 in scholarships for graduating seniors, while each finalist district will receive $125,000 in scholarships. This year's finalists are the Aldine Independent School District near Houston, Boston Public Schools, the New York City Department of Education, Norfolk (Virginia) Public Schools, and the San Francisco Unified School District.

"There is no greater issue facing our country than the state of public education," said Broad Foundation founder Eli Broad in a press release. "We are encouraged that large urban districts — which often face the toughest challenges — are having success in improving the education of all children, regardless of their race or family income. This prize is designed to reward and showcase their successes so that other districts can learn from their best practices."