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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, For more than 40 years, the National Association for |
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Bilingual Education has contributed greatly to the success of |
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multilingual education in the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, Established in the mid-1970s, NABE seeks to improve |
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instructional practices for linguistically and culturally diverse |
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children and to provide multilingual educators with high-quality |
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professional development opportunities; it also works to secure |
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funding for foreign language education and for programs serving |
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English-language learners, who come to English as native speakers |
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of more than 100 languages, of which Spanish is the most common; |
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across the United States, bilingual programs are also available to |
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native speakers of German, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Navaho, and |
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Apache; and |
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WHEREAS, The only national professional organization that |
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represents multilingual educational professionals and their |
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students, NABE has affiliates in 18 states and more than 5,000 |
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members nationwide; the latter include teachers, parents, |
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administrators, professors, researchers, and policy makers who |
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promote the use of native languages for classroom instruction and |
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for everyday life; and |
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WHEREAS, NABE has also worked with the Hispanic Education |
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Council and National Hispanic Leadership to advocate in behalf of |
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bilingual students; moreover, it has played a role in the adoption |
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of Seal of Biliteracy programs in nine states, which recognize |
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students who have attained proficiency in English and one or more |
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other languages by the time they graduate from high school with a |
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special seal that becomes a part of their transcript or diploma; and |
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WHEREAS, Knowledge of more than one language helps Americans |
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compete in an international economy and develop understanding of |
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other cultures, and over the course of four decades, NABE has helped |
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to develop multiliterate citizens who contribute to the civic, |
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economic, cultural, and technological advancement of our nation; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend the National Association for Bilingual |
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Education for its advocacy in behalf of multilingualism and extend |
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to its officers and members sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for NABE as an expression of high regard by the Texas House |
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of Representatives. |