‘Excellence is Never an Accident’

Abstract

Brownsville, Texas, schools earn high marks for their focus on improving the English acquisition of their largely immigrant students. They use a web of instructional leadership and shared responsibility for every child. Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution, and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities. -- Brownsville motto Even among districts selected as finalists for the Broad Prize for Urban Education, the Brownsville Independent School District in Texas stands out. In 2008, the district received the Broad prize. Like all of the finalists, the district reflects the high poverty of its student population. Unlike others, Brownsville also serves a large population of English language learners, many of them new arrivals to this border town between Mexico and the United States. In reading and math at all grade levels, Brownsville outperformed other Texas districts serving students with similar income levels. In addition, Brownsville's Hispanic and low-income students outperformed their peers in similar districts in reading and math at all grade levels. Between 2004 and 2007, Brownsville's Hispanic students showed greater improvement than their peers in similar Texas districts in reading and math at all grade levels, according to the Broad prize methodology. Brownsville's low-income students also showed greater improvement than their peers in similar Texas districts in math at all grade levels and in elementary and high school reading. From 2004 to 2007, Brownsville surpassed the state average in raising the percentage of Hispanic and low-income students who achieved math proficiency at all grade levels and in elementary and high school reading proficiency. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brownsville is also narrowing income and ethnic achievement gaps in reading and math at all grade levels. For example, between 2004 and 2007, Brownsville reduced the gap between Hispanic students and the state average for white students 12 percentage points in middle school math and reduced the gap between low-income students and Texas' non-low-income student average nine percentage points in high school reading. Three characteristics set Brownsville apart from other urban districts. MOVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS TO PROFICIENCY QUICKLY. The Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) serves one of the most underprivileged student populations in urban America, many of whom come to the district with limited, if any, English skills, especially among the elementary students. The programs and supports in place for English language learners (ELL) are unique to the local context. All elementary-level teachers in the district are dual certified in bilingual education. Districtwide, all teachers are trained in sheltered English instruction strategies. While the district offers optional transition and dual immersion in some schools, based on parent preference or student need, most students are placed in traditional classrooms where instruction is in English. Being successful is not a deep, dark secret. Using a range of research-based strategies and supplemental programs, the focus of instruction for young ELL students is to promote rapid gains in English proficiency. We push vocabulary; we push fluency in English, because we want them to be fluent in both languages, said one bilingual teacher. As a result of BISD's focused efforts, by the end of 3rd grade, almost 100% of students are proficient in English. Usually in the 4th grade, students are completely exiting [ELL programs], district administrators reported. The district also takes steps to ensure that ELL students who enter the district at the secondary levels do so in the most appropriate way. Through a partnership with the University of Texas at Austin, the district reviews transcripts for students entering from another country to ensure that students are being placed at the proper grade level and that they receive credit for courses taken elsewhere. …