TITLE: Honoring IDRA on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

SUMMARY: Honoring IDRA on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, For 50 years, IDRA has been a leading advocate for equal opportunity in the Texas public education system; and WHEREAS, IDRA, or the Intercultural Development Research Association, was founded by a small group of concerned citizens in 1973, and over the course of the past half century, the organization has worked to ensure that all Texas schoolchildren are provided with a strong academic foundation that gives them access to higher education and prepares them for success in college; and WHEREAS, Since IDRA's inception, school finance reform has been at the forefront of its policy agenda; in addition to raising public awareness of the inequalities that leave many Texas students at a disadvantage, the organization has engaged key decision makers in efforts to eliminate these disparities and bring about positive change to our state's education system; and WHEREAS, IDRA staff have worked on landmark court cases to guarantee the civil rights of all children, regardless of race, sex, or national origin; IDRA's research on school dropouts in Texas also led to revisions in the state's education law in 1984, and members of the organization have played a key role in the federal Bilingual Education Act of 1968 and Texas' first bilingual education law; and WHEREAS, In addition to its efforts at the state and federal level, IDRA has provided support to educators and administrators to improve teaching strategies and programs at Texas schools and to help schools and districts address disparities in student access to high-level STEMcourses,racial and gender-based bullying, workforce diversity, and other issues; the organization has also helped to advise schools on strategies to better serve immigrant students, and it has made a positive difference through its dropout prevention and parental leadership programs; and WHEREAS, IDRA was founded on the principle that all children deserve the benefits of a high-quality education, and the organization's members have demonstrated a tireless dedication to this endeavor that is truly commendable; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th Legislature, hereby honor IDRA on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and recognize all those involved with the organization for the contributions they have made to the success of Texas schools and the students they serve; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for IDRA as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Men ndez, Gutierrez, Zaffirini President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 1, 2023.