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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The STEPS Program at Austin Community College has |
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| 6 | 7 | | benefited Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities |
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| 7 | 8 | | for more than a decade; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, In 2004, STEPS was established at the ACC Highland |
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| 9 | 10 | | Business Center to provide a college experience to adults with |
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| 10 | 11 | | different learning abilities; it originally encompassed just three |
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| 11 | 12 | | classes provided by a single instructor, but under the guidance of |
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| 12 | 13 | | program director Mariah Lossing, it has expanded to offer |
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| 13 | 14 | | vocational training and more extensive postsecondary educational |
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| 14 | 15 | | enrichment, and it has become a model for several prospective |
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| 15 | 16 | | programs across the state; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The initiative now offers comprehensive services to |
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| 17 | 18 | | adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities at its |
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| 18 | 19 | | original location and also at the Pinnacle, Hays, and Round Rock |
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| 19 | 20 | | campuses; over the past five years, enrollment has increased by 370 |
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| 20 | 21 | | percent; more than 80 percent of graduates are employed, and some 22 |
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| 21 | 22 | | percent of current students hold part-time jobs; the program's |
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| 22 | 23 | | staff of eight includes two STEPS alumni; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Since its inception, STEPS has helped students |
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| 24 | 25 | | achieve their fullest potential as happy, productive citizens of |
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| 25 | 26 | | the Lone Star State, and in so doing, it is making a positive impact |
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| 26 | 27 | | in their lives and in the community as a whole; now, therefore, be |
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| 27 | 28 | | it |
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| 28 | 29 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 29 | 30 | | Legislature hereby honor the STEPS Program at Austin Community |
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| 30 | 31 | | College for its leadership in postsecondary education for Texans |
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| 31 | 32 | | with intellectual and developmental disabilities and extend to all |
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| 32 | 33 | | those associated with the program sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 33 | 34 | | success; and, be it further |
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| 34 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 35 | 36 | | prepared for the program as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 36 | 37 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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