This national honor was issued by the Council of the Great City Schools to the District
NEWARK, N.J. – The Newark Public Schools this week received the Advancing Excellence in Urban Education Award 2026 from the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS). The award recognizes the District’s innovation in planning, implementation, and monitoring of its initiative known as Conception to Cradle: A Cross-Functional Birth-to-Grade 3 Strategy for Breaking Silos and Advancing Student Outcomes.
“This national recognition affirms our belief that when we unite around the needs of children, the outcomes can be extraordinary," said Superintendent León. “Our Conception to Cradle to Grade 3 strategy is a game changer in our historic 10-year strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020-30.”
With this initiative, every child in Newark begins their education with the academic, health, and social-emotional supports needed to begin learning. Coupled with the high-quality early childhood education programs offered in the District’s schools and private preschool providers in Newark, Conception to Cradle sets children on the road to success.
“This award is a testament to the District’s commitment to serving our youngest learners and supporting innovative strategies that produce measurable results,” said Board of Education President Hasani K. Council. “The collaboration among District departments and community partners recognized by the Council of the Great City Schools demonstrates how the Newark Public Schools continue to lead with purpose, giving every child a strong foundation for lifelong achievement.”
Conversations among leading experts in early childhood and participants in the school District’s strategic planning process led to the consensus that starting to serve Newark’s children at age 3 is too late, and a comprehensive approach, beginning before birth and continuing with high-quality preschool and elementary education is essential to students’ success. The CGCS Consortium and all of the incredible partners were established in response to that consensus, reflected in the District’s ten-year strategic plan, currently in Year 7 of its implementation.
“The Newark Public Schools exemplify what’s possible when leadership is grounded in equity, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to students,” said Dr. Elda Garcia, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Curriculum Associates, “Under Superintendent Roger León and his team’s leadership, Newark continues to expand opportunity, inspire excellence, and set a national standard for student success. Congratulations on being named the 2026 CGCS Advancing Excellence Award recipient.”
From the experts who had the vision for this initiative to the hundreds of stakeholders involved in developing the strategic plan in 2020, the District knew it was on the right track for Newark. The fact that it is explicitly outlined in the strategic plan is because they knew it was also on the right track to serve as a model for the whole country. This national recognition reaffirms that truth in the Newark Public Schools. Being bold enough to create innovative approaches in education is not unheard of in Newark; it is part of Newark’s proud history of educational excellence. Newark is a leader for the entire State of New Jersey — that is not news. But the Advancing Excellence in Urban Education Award returns Newark to its place as a national leader in education, and that is very exciting news for the District and the children it serves.
The Council of the Great City Schools is the nation’s premier coalition of large urban public school systems, representing 82 of the country’s largest school districts.