Students in Classroom stock — Large group of happy elementary students know the answer on a class in the classroom. Focus is on black girl.

A Legacy of Changing Lives

An education trailblazer committed to advancing the quality of education

We honor the life and work of Linda Brown, an education trailblazer and the founder of Building Excellent Schools, now BES (build, excel, sustain).

Since 2003, BES has worked to advance the quality of education by supporting school leaders to design, found and lead excellent schools, including through the BES fellowship. BES Fellows have founded more than 220 schools in 50 cities across 20 states and Washington D.C., that currently educate 71,000+ students.

Linda's legacy will continue to inspire us as we work to ensure all students have access to excellent K-12 education.

We are grateful for her partnership and the ongoing work of BES to expand K-12 education opportunities. None of this would be possible without Linda’s tremendous vision, determination and commitment.

Learn More about the Impact of BES

BES, founded by Linda Brown, helped establish more than 220 charter schools serving tens of thousands of students nationwide, including Forte Preparatory Academy in Queens, New York and Compass Rose Academy in San Antonio, Texas. These stories showcase some of the opportunities BES has helped create for students and educators. Learn more at bes.org.