By Hinojosa H.C.R. No. 272 76R15356 JLZ-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Education traditionally has been the best equalizer 1-2 in our society, opening doors of economic and social opportunity 1-3 for individual citizens; as the state economy becomes increasingly 1-4 driven by high technology industries and enterprises requiring a 1-5 highly trained workforce, the availability of appropriate 1-6 technology-based educational programs becomes a key to economic 1-7 advancement for communities and regions in the state; and 1-8 WHEREAS, Although new industries spur job creation and 1-9 economic growth, it is the quality of the available workforce that 1-10 lures certain industries to communities and regions in the first 1-11 place, and although the number of technology-related jobs is 1-12 increasing statewide, an unequal distribution of the trained 1-13 workforce needed to fill those jobs threatens to exacerbate 1-14 longstanding disparities in economic opportunities for communities 1-15 that traditionally have been disadvantaged in their access to 1-16 educational programs; and 1-17 WHEREAS, While Lower Rio Grande Valley schools graduate 1-18 approximately 13,000 students annually, only about 15 percent of 1-19 those high school graduates subsequently enroll in postsecondary 1-20 technical degree programs, and even fewer graduate with a two-year 1-21 or four-year degree in a technical field; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Because postsecondary educational opportunities are 1-23 limited for many Valley residents, the need for high school 1-24 technical education programs becomes more acute; while school 2-1 districts make available career and technology education programs 2-2 within their schools' enrichment curriculum, magnet schools that 2-3 offer specialized curricula in certain fields provide increased 2-4 opportunities that translate directly to upward economic and social 2-5 mobility; and 2-6 WHEREAS, In addition to providing individual students 2-7 job-oriented instruction in high demand areas, magnet schools 2-8 create other benefits that ripple through a community's economy; in 2-9 areas where magnet schools have been established, public school 2-10 dropout rates have declined as students find programs that meet 2-11 their varying needs; and 2-12 WHEREAS, The Office of Center Operations and Community 2-13 Services (CoSERVE), which functions as the Rio Grande Valley's 2-14 labor market information resource center, submitted an analysis of 2-15 the region's labor market trends and demands and confirmed the need 2-16 for an Advanced Technology and Engineering Center to serve students 2-17 in the Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District and surrounding 2-18 communities; and 2-19 WHEREAS, CoSERVE's recommendations include a specific 2-20 curriculum for the proposed magnet school that offers several 2-21 tracks, including courses in business office technology, drafting 2-22 and design technology, electronics and telecommunications 2-23 technology, and machining technology, each area correlating with 2-24 targeted industries and occupations identified in its Rio Grande 2-25 Valley labor market report and affording the greatest potential for 2-26 future job creation and enhanced regional economic development; and 2-27 WHEREAS, In addition to making recommendations regarding the 3-1 magnet school curriculum, CoSERVE has taken steps to contact 3-2 corporations and future employers to obtain their support toward 3-3 making this proposal a reality; now, therefore, be it 3-4 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 3-5 hereby direct the South Texas Independent School District to 3-6 establish the Advanced Technology and Engineering Center as a 3-7 magnet school within the Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District 3-8 to lower the high school dropout rate and to provide Rio Grande 3-9 Valley students the job skills needed to secure gainful employment 3-10 upon graduation; and, be it further 3-11 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 3-12 copy of this resolution to the board president of the South Texas 3-13 Independent School District.