The House Committee on Public School-S/C on Completion  
         & Dropout 
         Subcommittee on Completion and Dropout Rates 
         78th Legislature 
         October 15, 2004 
         10:00 a.m. 
         Barbara Jordan High School, 5800 Eastex Freeway, Houston, TX 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted on October 7, 2004, the House  
         Committee on Public School-S/C on Completion & Dropout,  
         Subcommittee on Completion and Dropout Rates, met in a public  
         hearing and was called to order by the chair, Representative  
         Dutton, at 10:33 a.m. 
          
         Present:  Representatives Dutton; Luna; and Pitts (3). 
          
         Absent:   Representatives Dawson; Garza; Hughes; Keffer; Madden  
                   and Villareal (6). 
          
         Representative Scott Hochberg was also present. 
          
         A quorum was not present. 
          
         The chair recognized invited testimony from the following  
         persons: 
          
         Testimony was taken.  (See attached witness list.) 
          
         Dr. Steve Murdock, State Demographer- Texas State Data Center/  
         San Antonio 
          
         Dr. Abelardo Saavedra, Interim Superintendent- Houston  
         Independent School District 
          
         Mr. Robert Scott, Deputy Commissioner- Texas Education Agency 
          
         Ms. Patricia Hayes, Director, P-16 Initiatives- Texas Education  
         Agency 
          
         Ms. Carol Smith, Audit Manager- State Auditor's Office 
          
         Ms. Virginia Carmichael, Project Manager- State Auditor's Office 
          
         Ms. Roberta Cusack, Director, Expectation Graduation- Houston  
         Independent School District 
          
         Ms. Michele Pola, Ed.D., Director- The Houston A+ Challenge  
         Foundation 
          
         Testimony was taken.  (See attached witness list.) 
         At 2:34 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection,  
         the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair. 
          
         ________________________ 
  
         Rep. Harold V. Dutton, Chair 
          
         ________________________ 
         Nicole R. Bates, Clerk