H.R. No. 394
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, In 1993 the U.S. Department of Education completed
    1-2  its first study in more than 20 years on the status of educating
    1-3  gifted and talented students in this nation and its findings, as
    1-4  reported in National Excellence:  The Case for Developing America's
    1-5  Talent, indicate that America needs to focus on developing new and
    1-6  better ways to educate our academically gifted children; and
    1-7        WHEREAS, The Houston Independent School District (HISD) has
    1-8  initiated a number of exciting new programs that will enable its
    1-9  brightest students to learn more complex material and make it
   1-10  possible for them to compete in today's global economy; and
   1-11        WHEREAS, Offered on 17 campuses throughout the HISD, the
   1-12  district's VANGUARD program is an enriched and accelerated magnet
   1-13  program designed to meet the educational needs of children in
   1-14  grades K-12 who have demonstrated exceptional learning potential,
   1-15  while its SIGHTS program is a home school program providing
   1-16  supplementary educational opportunities to bright children in
   1-17  grades K-8 at 105 campuses in the district; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, The district also has become involved in the
   1-19  International Baccalaureate program, a rigorous honors program for
   1-20  students in grades 11 and 12 only, though preparatory work for
   1-21  achievement in the program begins in the sixth grade; students
   1-22  enrolled in that demanding course of study explore a curriculum
   1-23  that originates in Geneva, Switzerland, take examinations generated
   1-24  by the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, and compete
    2-1  against their peers in 57 countries; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, With its commitment to meeting the special needs of
    2-3  its gifted and talented student population, HISD has challenged its
    2-4  brightest students to work to their full potential while raising
    2-5  expectations for all students, and the district is indeed deserving
    2-6  of special legislative recognition for its vital contributions in
    2-7  this regard; now, therefore, be it
    2-8        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
    2-9  Legislature hereby commend all who have worked so diligently to
   2-10  ensure the success of the gifted and talented programs of the
   2-11  Houston Independent School District and honor the district's fine
   2-12  administrators, faculty, and students for their unwavering
   2-13  commitment to excellence in education; and, be it further
   2-14        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-15  prepared for the Houston Independent School District as an
   2-16  expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.