SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today congratulated a California teacher for receiving a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.

The surprise announcement naming Davide Busetti during a school assembly in Santa Ana, is one of 100 winners being announced nationally this year by the Milken Family Foundation.

"I would like to congratulate Mr. Busetti for being an exceptional teacher," said O'Connell. "His innovative education methods have helped raise his students' test scores and kept them engaged in the learning experience. I also want to thank the Milken Family Foundation for acknowledging and rewarding his hard work."

Busetti teaches fourth grade at Wallace R. Davis Elementary School in the Santa Ana Unified School District. He is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Italian. Colleagues describe Busetti as being phenomenal in the classroom and having a broad-based knowledge of educational theory, as well as an uncanny ability to put these theories into practice. Such abilities have helped his students' scores soar. Busetti is also known for his generosity in helping his students and their families. He has helped parents and families in crisis find jobs and homes.

Teachers are recommended for this award program without their knowledge by their respective state departments of education. There exists no nomination process for this prestigious award. Teachers are judged on factors such as exceptional educational talent that is evidenced by outstanding instructional practices in the classroom, school, and profession; outstanding accomplishments and strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and having an engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues, and the community at large.

Lowell Milken is the chairman and co-founder of the Milken Family Foundation. He created the largest teacher recognition program, the National Educator Awards, in 1985 to celebrate the nation's most outstanding teachers, principals, and specialists in K-12 education. By year's end, a total of 2,077 educators in 47 states and the District of Columbia will be recognized. The winners have received $50 million in Foundation awards since the program's inception. For more information, please visit Milken Family Foundation [http://www.mff.org] (Outside Source).

Busetti will receive an unrestricted $25,000 award to spend as he pleases. He may be reached at Davis Elementary School at 714-564-2200, extension 35.