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.