[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 91 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7923-S7924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  BRIGHT SPOTS BRING HOPE TO EDUCATION

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I have recently drawn much attention to the 
results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, 
released in February of this year. My visceral, my visceral reaction to 
the poor scores of high school seniors on the mathematics and science 
portions of this exam was one of great dismay and disbelief. How could 
United States students be performing so poorly given the massive 
amounts of money invested each year in our nation's education system?
  My spirits have since been lifted in the past month when hearing 
about the progress that my own home state of West Virginia is making on 
the education front. In my years as a United States Senator, my state 
has been scoffed at more times than I can remember, or want to 
remember. Well, today, I come to the floor to boast a little bit about 
what we are accomplishing back in the mountains and foothills of West 
Virginia.
  For the second time in a row, West Virginia has posted the highest 
education marks of any state in the ``Quality Counts'' report released 
annually by Education Week magazine. West Virginia has tied only with 
Connecticut for top honors in the study, which grades states on 
standards and assessments, quality of teaching, school climate, and 
adequacy, equity, and allocation of resources. In achievement, no 
grades were granted but states were ranked by the percentage of 
students who scored at or above the proficient level in mathematics and 
science on the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). 
Seven states, including West Virginia, made significant gains in the 
percentage of fourth graders who scored at the proficient level or 
above on the 1996 mathematics test. What is even more striking about 
these scores is the fact that West Virginia ranks forty-ninth in per 
capita income and family income, an economic statistic which is often 
correlated with lower student achievement.
  Earlier this year, West Virginia was recognized as a national model 
in geography education by the National Geographic Society. National 
Geographic

[[Page S7924]]

Chairman Gilbert Grosvenor commended the state as ``one of the best 
examples in the country of putting essential geography into a statewide 
system.'' The Fordham Foundation, a private organization committed to 
quality-based reform of elementary and secondary education, conducted a 
recent study evaluating different geography standards used by states in 
setting their academic curricula. West Virginia was one of only six 
states that received honor grades for adopting excellent standards for 
geography that are clear, specific, comprehensive, and rigorous.
  Good students and teachers are an integral component of getting ahead 
in education.
  West Virginia could not have made the progress in education that it 
has made in the past few years without solid homes, ambitious students, 
and good teachers. The whole process depends, in great measure, on 
quality teachers, since even the most driven and ambitious students can 
falter at the hands of an unqualified, incompetent teacher. Just 
recently, Susan Lee Barrett of Nicholas County, WV, was named as the 
West Virginia Teacher of the Year. Ms. Barrett is a teacher at the 
Cherry River Elementary School. She was selected based on her 
leadership in education reform. I hope that many other teachers in West 
Virginia and around the Nation will emulate the ambition and dedication 
to her chosen field that Ms. Barrett has so evidently displayed.
  I also take great pleasure in learning of the headway West Virginia 
is making as a leader in education. Over the past few months, my office 
has been inundated with positive news about many West Virginia schools 
and students. These bright spots deserve recognition for their efforts 
and innovation. As Plato wrote in his day, ``Excellent things are 
rare.'' How true that is. Excellence is something that we all can 
recognize--the Nobel Prize or a play by Shakespeare or Aeschylus or 
Euripides or Sophocles; however, it is not something that most of us 
see or experience on an everyday basis. For that reason, excellence 
should be acknowledged and it ought to be rewarded.
  The Department of Education recently announced the selection of the 
1998 national blue ribbon schools, which are recognized for strong 
leadership, high-quality teaching, up-to-date curriculum, policies, and 
practices. In West Virginia, Weir High School, which is in the northern 
panhandle of West Virginia, and Weir Middle School, both of Weirton, 
WV, were named for this award. Weir High School is unique for its 
active role in preparing students to meet the demands of today's high-
tech society. With increased global competition and industry 
downsizing, Weir High School provides its students with many important 
resources, including a computerized library resource directory, 
Internet accessibility, satellite television access, computer-assisted 
drafting, laser disc technology, and electronic research. Weir High 
School students are making great strides as a result of such 
unprecedented use of technology, and I commend the school and its able 
faculty for its leadership in that area. When I went to school, we 
never heard of such things. We not only didn't have access to it, we 
never even heard of it.
  In addition to an educational technology focus, Weir High School 
should be extremely proud of its veteran teaching staff--a staff that 
demonstrates an unparalleled level of commitment and dedication. That 
is what it requires: dedication and commitment. Among its faculty 
members, the school boasts of a Tandy finalist, Ashland Teacher of the 
Year, West Virginia Math Teacher of the Year, West Virginia Biology 
Teacher of the Year--think of that--several Hancock County Teachers of 
the Year, Who's Who Among American High School Teachers, and West 
Virginia Governor's Honor Academy Favorite Educators.
  Following in the footsteps of its neighboring high school, Weir 
Middle School has made great progress in technology, curriculum, 
National and State test scores, community involvement, student 
environment, and meeting State and National education goals for all 
students. The school motto, ``An Open Door to New Beginnings,'' is 
observed and followed daily. Accordingly, Weir Middle School recently 
introduced a new program, WEIR, We Encourage Individual Responsibility, 
to encompass total staff and student involvement in promoting learning 
and the teaching of standards.

  West Virginia, with stars shining across its educational firmament, 
is home to many other schools producing excellent students. To name a 
few, Kiley Anne Berry, a sophomore at East Fairmont State College, in 
the northern portion of the State, is 1 of 20 distinguished students 
selected from across the Nation--not just across West Virginia, but 
across the Nation--to participate in an international Youth Science 
Festival in Seoul, Korea. Heather Wilson, an eight-year-old from 
Jefferson County, in West Virginia's eastern panhandle, was selected 
earlier this year as a National Runner-Up in the Reading is Fundamental 
1998 National Reading Celebration, an annual reading program 
challenging students to meet or exceed an age-based reading goal. 
Several students at Clay County High School of Clay, WV, were 
distinguished in the ``We the People . . . the Citizen and the 
Constitution'' national finals. More than 250 other West Virginia 
students in grades five through eight were honored for their 
exceptional academic talents as part of the Johns Hopkins University 
Talent Search. And the list goes on.
  I could spend several more minutes, or even hours, talking about 
distinguished West Virginia students and West Virginia schools, and 
education in general. I will, however, conclude now. But I urge all 
schools, teachers, and students, nationwide and in my State of West 
Virginia, to follow these pacesetters--pacesetters. Our education 
system in the United States is ailing and we need to get back on track. 
These schools and students that I have talked about today are 
succeeding, and I encourage others to keep pace and emulate this 
progress.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. ENZI addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming is recognized.

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