[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 64 (Tuesday, May 19, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL FOR WINNING EDUCATION 
                     DEPARTMENT'S BLUE RIBBON AWARD

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                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 19, 1998

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Mission San Jose 
High School for winning the Blue Ribbon award from the Department of 
Education. Mission San Jose was one of six California schools to win 
this prestigious award and one of 166 schools nationwide.
  Mission San Jose proves that public schools can be effective 
advocates for all students to succeed in the 21st Century. Mission San 
Jose believes that all students can learn and all students will learn. 
The facts prove them correct.
  Mission San Jose High School has an attendance rate of over 95 
percent and a dropout rate of .05 percent. The student average SAT 
scores are in the top 5 percent of the nation. 65 percent of the 
student body is on the honor roll and the most importantly to me is 
that 95 percent of students go on to post-secondary institutions.
  These numbers speak for themselves and for the faculty and 
administrators at Mission San Jose High. I congratulate Principal 
Mathog for her outstanding leadership and positive views.
  This success by one of our public schools is the best argument 
against some of the arguments of my colleagues. Eliminating the 
Department of Education and advocating public funds to be spent on 
scholarship vouchers for private schools is not the right step to 
providing opportunity and hope for all students. Public schools work 
and I can prove it.
  Mission San Jose deserves this award and I congratulate them.

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