The 18 finalists in the 2025 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program include five early childhood facilities, five public school boards and eight school districts from throughout Texas.
H-E-B will award $90,000 ($5,000 each) to the finalists, all of which are competing for larger prizes at the statewide level in May. To determine the winners, a panel of judges will tour each finalist’s campus to visit with administration, staff, parents and community members.
Winners will be announced at the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards ceremony May 4 at the Hilton Austin, where $480,000 in cash awards and grants will be presented to six teachers, two counselors, two principals, one early childhood facility, a public school board and two school districts.
If selected, one early childhood facility will receive $25,000; one or more school boards will receive up to $25,000; one large school district will receive $100,000; and a small school district will receive $50,000.
In addition, 50 Texas teacher, counselor and principal finalists will be announced between January and March during a series of surprise visits to schools and classrooms.
The 2025 early childhood facility, school board and school district finalists are:
- Early childhood education facilities: Calvin Vincent Early Childhood Center (Texas City ISD, Texas City), Sarah K. Jandrucko Early Learners Academy (Mansfield ISD, Arlington), Early Childhood Development Center (Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi), Gonzales Primary Academy (Gonzales ISD, Gonzales) and Wylie Early Childhood Center (Wylie ISD, Abilene).
- School boards: Clear Creek ISD, Gregory-Portland ISD, Lamar CISD, New Braunfels ISD and Plano ISD.
- Large school districts: Mansfield ISD, Midlothian ISD, Prosper ISD, Spring Branch ISD and Tomball ISD.
- Small school districts: Lubbock-Cooper ISD, Medina Valley ISD and Montgomery ISD.
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About the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards
Through the annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program, H-E-B seeks to honor those educators who go the extra mile every day to serve their students and communities, inspiring others to do the same. Since the program’s inception in 2002, H-E-B has awarded more than $14 million in funding.