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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Margaret Taylor Smith has made a meaningful |
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difference in the lives of countless Texans with dyslexia and other |
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learning disabilities during her outstanding career as an educator, |
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author, speaker, and advocate; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Smith graduated from Baylor University and went |
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on to receive a master's degree in education from Texas A&M |
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University-Commerce; she taught in public schools for 12 years |
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before earning a dyslexia therapist certification and beginning to |
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teach special education classes in Dallas; troubled by the lack of |
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resources and curriculum guidelines for teachers of students with |
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learning disabilities, she worked on developing her own materials, |
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and she eventually shared this project with the world when she |
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released Multisensory Teaching Approach for Reading, Spelling, and |
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Handwriting in 1987 through her company, MTS Publications; and |
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WHEREAS, A respected authority on learning disabilities, |
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Ms. Smith has written a number of other publications on the |
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subject, trained thousands of dyslexia therapists and teachers in |
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Texas and beyond, and advocated for state laws that provide vital |
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services to students with dyslexia; she also helped to develop the |
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Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts |
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curriculum through her involvement with the Texas Education Agency; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Smith has held leadership roles with the |
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International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council |
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and the Academic Language Therapy Association Centers Council, and |
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she is a valued member of the International Dyslexia Association; |
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furthermore, she has served as associate director of the Dean |
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Teacher Training Center and taught at A&M-Commerce and Southern |
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Methodist University; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has received numerous accolades |
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over the years, including the Aylett R. Cox Educator Award from the |
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Academic Language Therapy Association and the Distinguished Alumni |
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Award from Forney High School, and Smith Elementary School in |
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Forney was named in her honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Margaret Smith has worked tirelessly to provide |
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young people with dyslexia and other learning disabilities with a |
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strong educational foundation on which to build, and she is indeed |
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deserving of recognition for her accomplishments in this crucial |
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endeavor; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Margaret Taylor Smith for her efforts in |
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behalf of Texans with learning disabilities and extend to her |
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sincere best wishes for continued success with her important work; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Smith as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Bell of Kaufman |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1549 was adopted by the House on May |
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17, 2019, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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