BARR Recognized at the 2024 ECS National Forum on Education Policy

Recently, BARR Center had the honor of attending the 2024 National Forum on Education Policy hosted by the Education Commission of the States (ECS) on July 10-12 in Washington, D.C.

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) is a nonprofit organization that is composed of education leaders from each state, territory, and the District of Columbia including the governor, the head of the state education agency, and other legislative and education officials.

Each year at the National Forum, ECS presents awards to individuals, states and organizations that have made significant contributions to public education. The James Bryant Conant Award is given to one person each year who has had an outstanding contribution to the field of education.

The James Bryant Conant Award, named after the co-founder of the Education Commission of the States (ECS) and former president of Harvard University, recognizes outstanding individual contributions to American education. The award was established in 1977 to memorialize Conant, a pivotal figure in the education reforms of the 1950s and ‘60s that continue to shape schools today. The honor is bestowed upon individuals whose efforts and service create a pronounced and lasting influence on American education and have demonstrated a commitment to improving education across the country in significant ways.

José Muñoz, Education Commission of the States (ECS) President, presents Angela Jerabek with the 2024 James Bryant Conant Award.

This year’s recipient is BARR’s Founder and Executive Director, Angela Jerabek.

Jerabek’s nominator for this award said, “Choosing programs that are rooted in relationships and evidence is critically important because that’s our promise to students and their families. I have strongly encouraged school leaders … [and] other states to get behind BARR, specifically because of its evidence.”

From left to right: Rebecka Peterson, 2023 National Teacher of the Year (who also attended and presented at the 2024 BARR National Conference); Angela Jerabek; Dr. Sydnee Dickson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Utah; and José Muñoz, ECS President.

In receiving this coveted award, Jerabek joins the ranks of renowned education leaders such as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, children’s television icon Fred Rogers, and Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, to name a few.

BARR Center’s Board of Directors and staff are incredibly proud of Jerabek’s achievement and the significant impact the BARR system has had in the 350 schools we have served since Jerabek developed the model. BARR continues to grow across the nation with positive results for students and teachers for generations to come!

Bottom row: BARR Center Staff and friends enjoy dinner at the event. From left to right: John Jerabek, Carrie Jennissen, Dr. Melody Schopp, Megan Reder-Schopp, Dr. Anu Sharma, Beth Heimer. Second picture: Chuck Wiger, Rob Metz, and Bob Brough. Third picture: Angela Jerabek pictured with Dr. Melody Schopp.

Click here to learn more about about Angela Jerabek and BARR’s 25 years of impact.