Grocery Chain Magnate Pledges $100M To Develop Educational Leaders

AUSTIN, TX — HEB Chairman and CEO Charles Butt has pledged to invest $100 million to create an Austin-based training and leadership development center for school district leaders throughout the state.

The plan calls for the Holdsworth Center to nurture current leaders while developing future principals and superintendents throughout the 1,200 public school districts in Texas. The center is named after his the philanthropist's mother, Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt, who worked as a lifelong educator.

The Holdsworth Center’s first classes are expected to begin in June. All told, 16 school districts have been invited to apply, including Austin ISD and Round Rock ISD. From those, six will be chosen this coming March.

A location for the center has yet to be determined. Until then, the program will operate at conference center across the state on a rotating basis.

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