Congratulating the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, on winning the 2009 "Broad Prize for Urban Education".

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today in strong support of House Resolution 791, which congratulates the Aldine Independent School District in Houston, Harris Country, Texas, on winning the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

It is pronounced Aldine, but there is a good joke about when the railroad ran through 50 years ago, that was where they stopped for lunch. So that is how we got our name, ``all dine,'' but it is pronounced Aldine.

Established in 2002 by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the Broad Prize is actually the largest education award in the country given to any school district. The Broad Prize for Urban Education is awarded to honor urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing the achievement gaps among low-income and minority students.

This year, the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, was selected from among 100 of the largest school districts in the United States to win this prestigious award. This is not surprising, knowing firsthand the extent to which every staff member and teacher in the Aldine Independent School District is dedicated to increasing student achievement and ensuring that every student has the tools he or she needs to thrive and be a critical thinker, problem solver, and a productive citizen.

My wife taught high school algebra in the Aldine Independent School District for many years where our children attended and graduated, and I am proud to represent the Aldine ISD in Congress.

Quality education has been the goal of Aldine for many years, and their current superintendent, Wanda Bamberg, carries on the tradition of expecting excellence, as Nadine Kujawa and Sonny Donaldson did before her.

With the Broad Prize award, graduating high school seniors in the Aldine Independent School District who have demonstrated a record of academic improvement during their high school careers and have significant financial need will be directly awarded $1 million in Broad Prize scholarships to continue their education.

This is the fourth time Aldine has been selected as a finalist for this prestigious award, and it is no surprise given the district's focus on their five core commitments:

They believe each student can learn at or above grade level and will have equal opportunity to do so.

They believe their school district can achieve higher levels of performance through clearly defined goals that set high exceptions for student achievement.

They believe in the value of parents as the first and best teachers, and that the community must actively participate in the development of all children.

They believe in the value of each employee, in his or her personal and professional growth, and in empowering each one to be accountable to make decisions in line with the vision of the school district.

They believe all environments should be supportive, safe and secure.

By winning this award, they have proven their commitment to these five goals, and I have no doubt that Aldine ISD will continue to be a leader in education for years to come.

This resolution recognizes the Aldine Independent School District for their outstanding achievement in winning the largest education award for school districts in the United States, the 2009 Broad Prize for Education.

Again, congratulations to the entire Aldine Independent School District community for their hard work and dedication toward student achievement, and particularly their efforts in reducing the achievement gaps among low-income and minority students. The school board members, administrative staff, teachers, parents, and children worked hard to earn this recognition, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 791) congratulating the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, on winning the 2009 ``Broad Prize for Urban Education'', as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 791 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 791, which recognizes and congratulates the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, for winning the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

Aldine's commitment to academic achievement, its high expectations for its students, and its dedication to narrowing the racial and income achievement gaps make it a most deserving recipient of this prestigious award.

Established in 2002 by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the Broad Prize for Urban Education is the largest education award for school districts in the United States.

After finishing as a finalist for the prize 3 years previously, the Aldine Independent School District this year was chosen from among 100 of the largest school districts in the country to receive the $1 million award. The Aldine School District has shown some of the most consistent student achievement gains nationally in the last decade.

Nationwide, family income levels generally are a strong indicator of students' school performance, but the Aldine School District, where four out of

five students receive free or reduced lunch, refuses to accept excuses for student success and chooses instead to break the predictive power of poverty.

Between 2005 and 2008, the Aldine Independent School District narrowed achievement gaps in reading at all school levels and in math at the elementary and middle school levels. In 2008, students in the Aldine schools outperformed other Texas school districts that served students with similar family incomes.

The Aldine Independent School District also ranks among the top large school districts in Texas for educating African American and Hispanic students. Between 2005 and 2008, SAT and Advanced Placement participation rates for these student populations increased significantly. Further, African American students achieved higher proficiency rates in math at all school levels and in reading at the middle and high school levels compared with other students in Texas. And a greater percentage of Hispanic students performed at the highest level on reading and math assessments at all school levels compared to other school districts.

Providing our young people with a high quality education is one of our Nation's most important duties and involves some of the most challenging and rewarding work. Today, we recognize the outstanding work being done at the Aldine Independent School District. Aldine's dedicated leadership and vigilant efforts are helping ensure the academic and life success of its students.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my support for congratulating the Aldine Independent School District on winning the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) for 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 791.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 791, congratulating the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, on winning the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education. I am proud to support this resolution because the Broad Prize for Urban Education reflects the hard work and outstanding effort that the Aldine Independent School District, Aldine ISD, has exerted to improve overall performance and reduce achievement gaps among low- income and minority students.

The honor bestowed upon Aldine ISD is a beacon of hope for improving public education in Texas and the United States. With over 61,000 students enrolled, Aldine ISD is one of the largest local education agencies in my congressional district and nearly 80 percent of those students qualify for free and reduced lunches. Providing a quality education to such a large number of students, especially students with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, poses challenges for school districts across the United States.

Aldine ISD's receipt of the Broad Prize for Urban Education is a testament to the hard work of parents, teachers, and students as well as the steady leadership of the district administration. Aldine ISD uses a district-wide plan focused on student achievement, student behavior, and community relations. The district administration uses that district-wide plan to ensure that its schools provide a supportive, safe, and--most importantly--effective learning environment. The district has succeeded in communicating clear expectations of academic excellence to teachers and increasing school administrators' oversight of student success.

Aldine ISD's model has produced incredible results. The school district regularly ranks as one of the top performers of all districts in the State of Texas. Studies by Texas A&M University and the University of Texas--Pan American showed that Aldine ISD ranks as one of the best school districts for educating African-American and Hispanic students in Texas. In 2008, African-American students in Aldine ISD achieved higher proficiency rates in math at all school levels and in reading at the middle and high school levels than their counterparts across the State. In 2008, Hispanic and low-income students in Aldine ISD performed the best in State reading and math assessments relative to similar Texas school districts.

A crucial product of Aldine ISD's success is the narrowing of achievement gaps. Math achievement gaps at all income levels were among the smallest in the State and between

2005 and 2008 Aldine ISD narrowed the highest percentage of African- American achievement gaps. Not only is Aldine ISD closing the achievement gap but also it is preparing increasing numbers of students for higher education. From 2005 to 2008 African-American and Hispanic student participation in SAT and Advanced Placement rose.

By these measurements, Aldine ISD clearly deserves the Broad Prize for Urban Education. The award is given to large urban school districts that show solid school achievement and demonstrate distinct gains made in narrowing achievement gaps. I am proud of the hard work that Aldine ISD has done to earn this award and I am thankful to the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation for recognizing their efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 791, congratulating the Aldine Independent School District in Harris County, Texas, on winning the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education.

Few goals could be more important to American public education today than closing the achievement gaps among students by race, income, language, and gender. The goal is particularly critical for the Nation's urban public schools. The achievement gap is the difference in performance between groups of students, especially groups defined by race/ethnicity and family income.

Although bringing about comprehensive change in our educational system may be difficult, the Aldine Independent School District teachers and staff have worked hard to create a supportive, safe, and effective learning environment which has enabled students to achieve academic success.

The Aldine Independent School District ranks among the highest performing school districts in the State of Texas. In addition, it is one of the top large school districts in the State for African American and Hispanic students. Between 2005 and 2008, the SAT and Advanced Placement participation rates for these groups increased significantly. In 2008, African American students achieved higher proficiency rates in math at all school levels, and in reading at the middle school and high school levels. And Hispanic students performed at the highest achievement level on reading and math assessments compared to other school districts in the State.

It is clear that the Aldine Independent School District is a shining example of what is right about urban education. As a result, the school district was awarded the $2 million Broad Prize for Urban Education this year.

Established in 2002 by the Broad Foundation, the Broad Prize is the largest education award in the country given to school districts. The prize is awarded each year to honor urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among low-income and minority students.

I would like to congratulate Superintendent Wanda Bamberg and all of the principals, teachers, staff and students for all of their hard work which made this award possible.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues for support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) as much time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

I want to thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank my friend, Mr. Green, for introducing this legislation. He and I buttress congressional districts in the Houston, Harris County area, and some of the schools in the Aldine Independent School District are in my district as well.

The Broad Prize for Urban Education, established in 2002, is the largest education award in the country given to school districts. Aldine was chosen to receive this award from 100 of the largest school districts in all of the United States. And that allows seniors from the Aldine School District to be eligible for 2- to 4-year scholarships up to $20,000 due to this award that is going to the school district.

The Aldine School District consistently ranks among the highest performing school districts in the whole State of Texas according to the Texas Education Agency. And the Aldine School District has been a finalist four times for the Broad Prize for Urban Education.

Between 2005 and 2008, the Aldine Independent School District narrowed the income achievement gap in reading at all levels, and in math at the elementary and middle school levels. This school district has done a tremendous job with the students, working with the teachers and the administration to bring up the education quality of the students and prepare them for lifetime experiences.

So I want to congratulate the Aldine School District and all of their work. This award is well deserved, and it is my hope that all school districts across Texas and the United States can mirror the success of this school district in achieving high academic quality throughout their school districts.