Slavin to Get Dana Award
By Steve Libowitz

Robert E. Slavin will receive the 1994 Charles A. Dana Award for
Pioneering Achievement in Education. The $50,000 award is made in
recognition of Dr. Slavin's work in developing Success For All, a
6-year-old national program, which works to ensure that all
students are reading at or above their grade level by the third
grade, regardless of their social or economic condition.
    The Charles A. Dana Foundation, a private philanthropic
organization, has made this award annually since 1986 to
recognize pioneering achievements in education and health.
Nominations in education are based on an idea and its ability to
enhance the quality of U.S. education at the pre-college level.
Winners are chosen by a jury of national experts based on
recommendations of a nominating committee.  The award is
presented to the person or persons most responsible for the idea.
    Success For All is based on the concept that early
intervention to prevent children from falling behind in reading
and mathematics can prevent the academic failure that often leads
to loss of self-esteem and interest in school among disadvantaged
students. The program, launched by Dr. Slavin's team in Baltimore
City public schools in 1987, has roughly doubled in size annually
and has already reached nearly 100,000 at-risk children. It is
now in place in 20 states and nearly 100 schools serving the
poorest urban and rural populations.
    "What is gratifying is that evaluations are proving that the
program works in a variety of settings as long as there is
school-wide commitment," Dr. Slavin said.
    "What Success For All teaches us is that there is no longer
any excuse for accepting widespread failure of students, even in
the poorest schools," Dana Foundation chairman David Mahoney
said. "This program proves that schools serving at-risk children
can succeed using the resources and staff they already have."