Houston's public school district has won over three other competitors for the 2013 Broad Prize for Urban Education - receiving over half a million dollars in college scholarships.

The 2013 Broad Prize for Urban Education Award is given by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in recognition of the large urban school districts which have made great improvements in student achievements.

 Specifically, the award is given to large urban school districts which are able to reduce achievement gaps among low income students and students of color. The Houston Independent School District (ISD) ranks 7^th in the list of the US' largest school districts - consisting of 276 schools. 63% of its 200,000 student population are Hispanic while 25% are black.

"Our goal as a nation is to ensure every child has the skills and knowledge to succeed in life," US Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a report by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "For years, Houston has demonstrated its commitment to doing just that."

"Houston's unwavering focus on empowering teachers and principals, raising expectations for educators and students alike, and improving opportunities for all students is an example for other public school systems across the country and evidence that success is possible."

Houston's School Superintendent, Terry Grier, says that the award is something that everyone should be proud of.

"Moving forward, we will continue doing whatever it takes to deliver on our promise of strong schools in each and every neighborhood," he said. "Parents have a right to expect that their children will be challenged academically ... and that they will graduate equipped to compete in the marketplace."

Houston has already received the Broad Prize for Urban Education award in 2002 and is the first ISD to be awarded twice. Houston ISD was toppled Corona-Norco Unified School District in Riverside County, Calif.; Cumberland County, N.C., Schools; and the San Diego Unified School District this year. The remaining finalists received $150,000 in college scholarships.

The half a million worth of scholarships will be used by Houston's high school seniors for college education.