By:  Grusendorf                                                   H.R. No. 1376



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the State of Texas 
is proud to recognize efforts of the Education Office of the Embassy 
of Spain, which has worked in collaboration with State Education 
Agencies and local school districts throughout the United States to 
promote the teaching and learning, of the Spanish language and 
culture in bilingual education programs, as well as in programs of 
Spanish as a second language; and
	WHEREAS, A Memorandum of Understanding between the Texas 
Education Agency, The State Board for Educator Certification, and 
Spain's Ministry of Education and Science that will provide for the 
expansion of multicultural teacher and student exchange programs 
that promote high education standards and international 
cooperation will be signed on May 16, 2005; and
	WHEREAS, The partnership between the Texas Education Agency 
and the Ministry of Education in Spain began in 1987; and
	WHEREAS, Products of this cooperation include a Resource 
Center for teachers at the University of Houston, summer institutes 
for Texas teachers held at universities in Spain, a teacher 
exchange program, a visiting Spanish consultant at the Agency, and 
a number of other educational programs designed to improve and 
expand the teaching of the Spanish language and culture in Texas, as 
well as the teaching of the English language and culture in Spain; 
and
	WHEREAS, The Texas/Spain Visiting Teacher Program has 
brought hundreds of teachers to Texas school districts since 1998; 
and
	WHEREAS, The very prestigious Quetzal Route Scholarship, 
valued at $14,000, has been awarded to several Texas high school 
students; and
	WHEREAS, Each year, two teachers are recognized by the Texas 
Foreign Language Association and the Texas Association of Bilingual 
Education and awarded full scholarships covering travel, lodging, 
meals and tuition in Spain; and
	WHEREAS, This year, a Texas high school student was also 
awarded a full scholarship for travel and study in Spain.
	WHEREAS, The AP Spanish Language Courses, The Teacher 
Assistant Program, The Spanish Academies Program are examples of 
new programs that are being introduced as a result of this 
collaboration and that will be added to the programs that are now 
well known as the Texas-Spain Initiatives; now therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature, hereby commend the Texas Education Agency and the 
Ministry of Education in Spain; and be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor 
of the signing of A Memorandum of Understanding between the Texas 
Education Agency, The State Board for Educator Certification, and 
Spain's Ministry of Education and Sciences as an expression of 
esteem from the Texas House of Representatives.