Hispanics

Organized for Political Education

TX HOPE OFFICERS TX HOPE CHAIR Joe Cardenas III TX HOPE CO-CHAIR Hector Flores TREASURER Mary Ramos PARLIAMENTARIAN Ray Mancera SECRETARY Herlinda Garcia EDUCATION CHAIR Velma Ybarra TX HOPE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD

On behalf of the state board of directors of Texas HOPE, we submit the following statement on CSHB 5. To begin, we find it offensive that CSHB 5 attempts to create obstacles for Texas Latina and Latino students to access higher education. Through the creation of endorsements and a distinction tier diploma that is tied to Top Ten Percent eligibility, the bills disregard for English language learners, and its silence on resources and alternative assessment options for students, CSHB 5 takes us in the opposite direction of a college-ready Texas. Texas HOPE is against any policy that will subject Latino/as, who comprise 51.2% of all Texas public school students, to curricular tracking and that identifies them for workforce and menial labor jobs rather than designing a system that encourages and supports them to obtain a college degree. Furthermore, Texas HOPE absolutely opposes any plan that will, by design, be guided by a philosophy that not all children can attain a college degree. Such a plan accepts failure as an option rather than upholding the noble idea of the teaching profession that all students can learn, that all students can succeed, and that all students deserve to have an opportunity to access higher education. Not only do we reject this affront to our core belief in public education, we further reject and staunchly rebuke any persons and organizations that fail to uphold the nobility of the teaching profession in Texas. Texas HOPE firmly believes that education is at the core of any students ability to succeed, and that this issue is one of civil rights granted to all students on their path to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
P.0. Box 29 Luise, Texas 77455 (979) 332-0324 E-mail: joey_cardenas@hotmail.com

Austin
- Linda Chavez -Cynthia Valadez- Mata Jr.

Dallas
- Hector Flores - Bea Martinez -Rene Martinez -Domingo Garcia

El Paso
- Ray Mancera - Virginia Tena

Fort Worth
- Hector Carrillo

Garland -Koni Kaiwi

Houston
- Mary Almendarez - Rick Dovalina - Herlinda Garcia - Al Maldonado - Mary Ramos

Odessa
- Carol Uranga

San Antonio
- Angie Garcia - Velma Ybarra

San Angelo
- Elma Jacques

Seguin
- Paul Castillo - Gloria Sasser

Victoria
-Mary Lou Canales