H.R. No. 811



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The Ysleta Independent School District in El Paso 
has demonstrated great dedication to the Texas schoolchildren it 
serves as well as to the community at large, and its recent 
achievements are indicative of that profound commitment; and
	WHEREAS, Named for a Pueblo Indian tribe that migrated to the 
El Paso area in the 17th century, YISD began in the 1930s as a rural 
education district with one high school and a handful of middle and 
elementary schools; today, the district encompasses 58 campuses and 
oversees the education of nearly 50,000 students; the third largest 
employer in the city, YISD relies on 6,000 administrators, 
teachers, and staff members to carry out its responsibilities; in 
addition, district schools benefited from an estimated 400,000 
hours of volunteer work last year; and
	WHEREAS, A few short decades ago, the district operated at 
state minimum achievement levels, but the 1990s witnessed a major 
transformation; YISD capped several years of hard work in 1998 when 
it became the first urban school district in the state to be named a 
Recognized District for student performance on the Texas Assessment 
of Academic Skills test; the district has continued to build on its 
academic achievements, receiving nationwide recognition with eight 
National Title I Distinguished Campuses and nine National Blue 
Ribbon Schools; moreover, a district record was broken last year 
when approximately $16 million in scholarships was awarded to 2004 
high school graduates by universities; and
	WHEREAS, A recognized leader in educational innovation, YISD 
oversees six magnet schools, two nationally recognized alternative 
education campuses, and a number of successful outreach programs, 
such as the Reading Recovery program, which strengthens the reading 
curriculum, and the Plato Academy, which provides dropout recovery 
services; moreover, Technology Domes offer state-of-the-art 
instruction for students and teachers through computers and the 
Internet, and a $5 million program has been initiated to provide 
each teacher in the district with a laptop computer; and
	WHEREAS, The Ysleta Independent School District has taken as 
its goal that all its students graduate from high school, be fluent 
in two or more languages, be prepared and inspired to continue their 
education in a four-year college, university, or other institution 
of higher education, and ultimately go on to become successful and 
productive citizens in their community; under the able leadership 
of superintendent Hector Montenegro, the district strives to meet 
its admirable goal by treating its students as individuals with the 
innate ability to learn and by providing its teachers and support 
staff the guidance, support, and encouragement they need to 
succeed; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby commend the students, administrators, faculty, 
and staff of the Ysleta Independent School District for their 
outstanding record of achievement and extend to them 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 the district as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.

                                                                          Chavez

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 811 was adopted by the House on April 
7, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House