Clark: An educational beacon

That Clark Magnet High School stands to earn its second National Blue Ribbon designation is a testament to that model of delivering education to a diverse student population.

The math-and-science-focused campus was one of just 35 schools in California to be nominated for the 2012 federal designation, the gold standard in public education, after having already earned it in 2006. Clark earned this honor by scoring 909 out of a total 1,000 points in 2011 in standardized tests, making it the highest-performing high school in Glendale Unified, despite a large population of low-income students.

The school’s continued academic prowess despite budget pressures, despite what some would consider to be challenging student demographics, despite strong competition in much more ritzy school districts, should be a source of pride for Glendale — and a beacon for what public education can achieve.