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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, KIPP Austin Public Schools is visiting the State |
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Capitol on February 16, 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, Founded in 1994, the Knowledge is Power Program was |
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developed to better serve Houston's inner-city youth; through the |
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years, the program has grown to include 66 schools in 19 states and |
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the District of Columbia, and now serves more than 16,000 students; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, KIPP has achieved notable success with low-income |
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students; nearly 80 percent of students who complete the eighth |
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grade at KIPP schools go to college, in contrast to a less than 20 |
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percent rate for low-income youth nationally; and |
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WHEREAS, KIPP Austin Public Schools was established in 2002 |
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by Jill Kolasinski, a teacher at the original KIPP Academy in |
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Houston; she founded the institution on the following principles: |
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high expectations of students, the choice to join the school and a |
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commitment to excellence, more time spent in school, the power of |
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the school director to lead, a focus on results, development of |
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character to facilitate education, better health through nutrition |
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and fitness, and supportive relationships with faculty; and |
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WHEREAS, KIPP Austin Public Schools is expanding the |
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educational opportunities of a new generation of students in the |
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Capital City, and the success of the program and the achievements of |
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the students merit special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby welcome the staff and students of KIPP Austin |
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Public Schools to the State Capitol and extend to them sincere best |
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wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the group as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |