| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 815 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | join Texans across the state in celebrating May 4 through 10, |
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| 4 | 4 | | 2009, as Texas Early College High School Awareness Week; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Early college high schools are designed so that |
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| 6 | 6 | | young people who are traditionally underrepresented in higher |
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| 7 | 7 | | education, such as low-income young people, students of color, |
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| 8 | 8 | | and first-generation college attendees, can simultaneously earn |
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| 9 | 9 | | a high school diploma and an associate degree without facing the |
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| 10 | 10 | | burden of paying tuition; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Since 2002 the organizations responsible for the |
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| 12 | 12 | | Early College High School Initiative have created or redesigned |
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| 13 | 13 | | more than 200 schools across the nation that have had a positive |
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| 14 | 14 | | effect on the lives of more than 42,000 young people; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, More than 90 percent of the participants in this |
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| 16 | 16 | | exemplary program earn high school diplomas, and 88 percent earn |
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| 17 | 17 | | college credit; at a time when a year's tuition at a public |
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| 18 | 18 | | college averages $6,600, this program enables and encourages |
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| 19 | 19 | | students to pursue the higher education needed in today's |
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| 20 | 20 | | changing world; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Texas currently has 29 early college high schools |
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| 22 | 22 | | serving nearly 7,000 students; with the support of such |
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| 23 | 23 | | organizations as the Texas Education Agency and the Bill and |
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| 24 | 24 | | Melinda Gates Foundation, this outstanding program is making a |
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| 25 | 25 | | difference in education in our state; now, therefore, be it |
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| 26 | 26 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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| 27 | 27 | | Legislature, hereby commend the sponsors of the Early College |
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| 28 | 28 | | High School Initiative on their dedication to expanding the |
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| 29 | 29 | | number of students able to graduate from high school and earn a |
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| 30 | 30 | | college degree and extend to them best wishes for a successful |
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| 31 | 31 | | Texas Early College High School Awareness Week; and, be it |
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| 32 | 32 | | further |
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| 33 | 33 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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| 34 | 34 | | honor of this special week. |
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| 35 | 35 | | West, Ellis, Gallegos, |
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| 36 | 36 | | Hegar, Shapiro, Uresti |
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| 37 | 37 | | ____________________________________________________________ |
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| 38 | 38 | | Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate |
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| 39 | 39 | | ____________________________________________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate |
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| 41 | 41 | | ____________________________________________________________ |
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| 42 | 42 | | Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate |
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| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | President of the Senate |
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| 45 | 45 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 46 | 46 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 47 | 47 | | the Senate on May 4, 2009. |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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