[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E282]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TRIBUTE TO DR. GERRY HOUSE, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL 
          ADMINISTRATORS, NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. HAROLD E. FORD, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 1999

  Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Superintendent of 
Memphis City Schools, Dr. N. Gerry House.
  On February 19, 1999, Dr. House was named the National Superintendent 
of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators. Dr. 
House's commitment to education placed her at the top of a 
distinguished list of national superintendent finalists, a list which 
also included nominees from Brazil and Germany. I might add that Dr. 
House is the first African-American woman to receive this prestigious 
award.
  Dr. House's success may be attributed to many factors: hard work, 
perseverance and leadership skills. But perhaps most instrumental to 
her success is Dr. House's dedication to education reform. As Daniel 
Domenech, the President of the American Association of School 
Administrators (AASA) stated: ``America needs leaders who will guide 
our schools into the next millennium--strong visionaries who will help 
shape the future of generations to come.'' Dr. House has that vision.
  Under the leadership of Dr. House, Memphis has received a substantial 
grant from the National Science Foundation; a $3.6 million grant for 
after-school learning centers in eight schools; and was selected as one 
of 11 districts to implement the new American Schools redesign models. 
A recent study of the first 25 schools to undergo school wide reform 
found that the reform schools boasted a 7.5% greater achievement gain 
on state standardized tests than students nationwide, and 14.5% more 
than comparable Memphis City Schools. These outstanding results serve 
as a testimony to Dr. House's vision and commitment to education.
  Dr. House serves on various national and state educational 
improvement boards, including the executive board of the Council of the 
Great City Schools, the Board of Directors of NEA's National Foundation 
for the Improvement of Education, and the National Science Foundation's 
Directorate for Education and Human Resources.
  America needs more leaders like Dr. House, men and women committed to 
academic excellence. Please join me in honoring Dr. House and all of 
the other educational leaders in the country for their commitment to 
improving education for all Americans.

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