Today H-E-B announced that eight school districts and five early childhood facilities have been selected as finalists for the retailer’s 2016 Excellence in Education Awards program, now in its 15th year. For the third year, H-E-B is recognizing five public school boards to highlight the importance of strong leadership at the board level.
The 2016 school district, early childhood facility, and public school board finalists are:
Large School Districts
Leander ISD — Leander, Texas
Socorro ISD — El Paso, Texas
Galena Park ISD — Houston, Texas
Katy ISD — Katy, Texas
Allen ISD — Allen, Texas
Small School Districts
Dripping Springs ISD — Dripping Springs, Texas
Valley View ISD — Pharr, Texas
Midway ISD — Woodway, Texas
Early Childhood Education Facilities
Central Texas 4C, Inc. — Temple, Texas
Sammy’s House — Austin, Texas
SEARCH Homeless Services — Houston, Texas
Hidalgo ISD — Hidalgo, Texas
Sunshine Cottage — San Antonio, Texas
Public School Boards
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD — Pharr, Texas
Humble ISD — Humble, Texas
Allen ISD — Allen, Texas
Alamo Heights ISD — San Antonio, Texas
Somerset ISD — Somerset, Texas
H-E-B will award a total of $85,000 to the finalists and school boards.
Winners will be announced at the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards ceremony May 13, 2016. The winning large district will receive $100,000; the winning small district will receive $50,000. An early childhood facility will receive $25,000. If selected, one or more school boards will receive up to a total of $25,000.
Forty teacher and principal finalists will be announced in late February and March during a series of surprise visits to schools and classrooms across Texas.
About the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards
H-E-B launched the Excellence in Education Awards program in cooperation with TASA in 2002 as a positive way to support public education in Texas. It has become the largest monetary program for educators in the state, spotlighting best practices and celebrating the passion and creativity of Texas educators.
