H.R. No. 1263
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Excelencia in Education has demonstrated a
long-standing and steadfast commitment to accelerating Latino
student success; and
WHEREAS, Excelencia in Education was founded in 2004 by
Sarita Brown, a senior Fellow at the Pew Hispanic Center, and
Deborah Santiago, vice president of data and policy analysis for
the Los Angeles County Alliance for Student Achievement; focusing
on data, the nonprofit organization has conducted research and
sparked change with a series of important publications, beginning
with the groundbreaking Latino Student Success at Hispanic-Serving
Institutions: Findings from a Demonstration Project, released in
connection with The University of Texas at El Paso; its report How
Latino Students Pay for College: Patterns of Financial Aid in
2003-04 garnered national coverage by news outlets from NPR and the
Washington Post to the Chronicle of Higher Education; and
WHEREAS, With Ms. Santiago's 2009 report, Emerging
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Excelencia popularized a
phrase now firmly incorporated in the higher education lexicon; the
organization created a key national resource, the "Growing What
Works" database, and over the years, it has amplified its
accomplishments by building a large network of results-oriented
educators and policymakers; Excelencia was tapped to serve as an
intermediary organization for Lumina Foundation Latino Student
Success, a four-year, $12 million investment in 13 communities to
increase the percentage of Latino students graduating from colleges
and universities; in 2019, it established new standards by
announcing the first nine institutions to be certified with its
Seal of Excelencia, acknowledging their success in intentionally
serving Latino students while serving all; and
WHEREAS, Since its founding, Excelencia in Education has
empowered countless Latino students to build an even brighter
future for themselves and their communities, and the organization
is indeed deserving of commendation for its myriad contributions;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize Excelencia in Education for its
exemplary record of service and extend to all those associated with
the organization sincere best wishes for continued success with
their important work; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Excelencia in Education as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Neave Criado
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1263 was adopted by the House on April
25, 2023, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House