It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the Brownsville Independent School District for winning the 2008 Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation Prize for Urban Education.

I am elated that the efforts of the teachers, administrators, and students have been recognized by one of the most prestigious non profit organizations devoted to quality educational opportunities for poor and minority students.

The Broad Prize is an annual award that honors large urban school districts that demonstrate the strongest student achievement and improvement in America while narrowing achievement gaps between income and ethnic groups.

The $1 million prize will go directly to graduating high school seniors in Brownsville for college scholarships. BISD was selected by a jury of 10 prominent American leaders from government, education, business and civic sectors, including two former U.S. secretaries of education from both political parties.

BISD now joins a select group of school districts that, despite facing numerous odds, have done a tremendous job at educating the youth in their respective communities.

Brownsville students have outperformed their peers from similar districts in reading and mathematics and have closed the performance gap when compared to other students throughout the state. BISD has also shown that the education models it uses are truly those of best practice. 

BISD has shown the truth in the motto, "success is never an accident!" With these continuing achievements in the classroom coupled with the dedicated leadership from teachers and administrators, BISD serves as the model for all of Texas and the nation to follow. 

For more information on the Brownsville Independent School District, please click here.

For more information on the Broad Foundation Prize for Urban Education, please click here.