[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 116 (Friday, September 5, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H6923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE ACHIEVED AS A RESULT OF TESTS AND MORE 
                           RIGOROUS STANDARDS

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Democrats want to raise education standards 
across the country so that students in every State can master the 
basics of reading and math; and testing, I believe, is an important 
part of that effort to achieve national standards.
  In my home State of New Jersey, we have seen improved academic 
performances as a result of more rigorous standards. Tests administered 
to all New Jersey students have been a significant ingredient in my 
State's efforts to improve student achievement. Education, I believe, 
and I will stress this, will always be primarily a State and local 
matter, but there needs to be a partnership with the Federal 
Government, and I believe the test national standards and Federal 
dollars made available to local school districts to rebuild crumbling 
and overcrowded schools should all be part of a national agenda to 
improve education.
  We can work together on the Federal and the State and the local level 
to achieve excellence in education.

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