IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1265 

Honoring the life and accomplishments of Jaime A. Escalante. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 15, 2010 

Mrs. NAPOLITANO (for herself, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. BACA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. ORTIZ, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 

MEEKS of New York, Mr. PIERLUISI, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. SABLAN, 

Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. HONDA, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. SIRES, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. COSTA, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. LUJA ́N, 

Mr. PASTOR of Arizona, Ms. CHU, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. 

SALAZAR, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. EDWARDS of Texas, Mr. 

COSTELLO, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Ms. WATSON, Ms. 

CORRINE BROWN of Florida, and Mr. CLYBURN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and accomplishments of Jaime A. 

Escalante. 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante was a dedicated husband, father, teacher, and mentor; 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante, an immigrant, devoted his life 

to teaching and used determination, rigorous standards, 

and a passion for educating to empower disadvantaged 

students to learn and succeed; 


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•HRES 1265 IH 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante was born on December 31, 

1930, in La Paz, Bolivia and received his teaching degree 

from Normal Superior in Bolivia; 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante immigrated to California in 

1963 at the age of 33, leaving his teaching post in Bolivia for the promise of a brighter future for his wife, 

Fabiola, his child, Jaime A. Jr., and future child, Fernando; 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante spent 10 years working his way 

up from a dishwasher to an electronics technician while 

learning English, repeating his undergraduate education 

earning a B.A. in math from Cal State Los Angeles, and 

securing his teaching certificate in 1974; 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante was hired to teach mathematics 

at Garfield High School in 1974, which during the 1970s 

was struggling to maintain its accreditation and whose 

students were largely working-class minorities from underserved areas; 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante used innovative techniques and 

high expectations to successfully teach calculus to hardto-motivate students and revolutionized the use of the 

Advanced Placement Program to drive success in underperforming schools, proving that encouragement for 

learning could trump educational disadvantages; 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante firmly believed that his students, although disadvantaged and often behind their 

grade levels, could achieve academic success if held to 

high standards and had the support, attention, and encouragement to attain those standards; 

Whereas the 1988 film ‘‘Stand and Deliver’’ about Jaime A. 

Escalante’s story and successes in education inspired 


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•HRES 1265 IH 

teachers across the country and the world to adopt his 

methods; 

Whereas in 1988, Jaime A. Escalante’s success as an educator was detailed in the book entitled ‘‘Escalante: The 

Best Teacher in America’’ by Jay Mathews; and 

Whereas Jaime A. Escalante’s teaching awards include the 

Presidential Medal of Excellence in Education, the Andres Bello Prize from the Organization of American 

States, and the Free Spirit Award from the Freedom 

Forum, as well as being inducted into the National 

Teachers Hall of Fame in 1999: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) honors the life and accomplishments of 

3 Jaime A. Escalante; 

4 (2) expresses condolences on Jaime A. 

5 Escalante’s passing; and 

6 (3) recognizes Jaime A. Escalante’s contribu7 tion to the field of education, his innovative under8 takings in successfully teaching urban youth with 

9 educational disadvantages, as well as his dedication 

10 to the students of Garfield High School, the great 

11 State of California, the United States, and the coun12 try of Bolivia. 

Æ 


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