Even so. in my early years in my reading comprehension skills were not what they could have been if I had started the first grade Englishready. In 1972. I was elected to the local school board in Mercedes. Texas. and in 1974. I was elected to the Texas State Board of Education where I served for four terms. Of that period. 8 years I served as chairman of the Special Populations Committee. which covered bilingual education. migrant education. special education and gifted and talented education programs. For 25 years I have been a very strong advocate of education. It is in that capacity that I became aware as a policymaker of the difficulties limited Englishproficient students.