[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7083]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    APRIL SCHOOLS OF THE MONTH NEW YORK'S 4TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

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                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 20, 2004

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I 
congratulate the 63 elementary and middle schools from the 4th 
Congressional District which were recently designated as part of New 
York State's Most Improved Schools, and it is my honor to name them as 
my April Schools of the Month.
  To qualify for Most Improved status, the schools have had to 
dramatically improve their English and Math scores. More than 50 
percent of the students from the schools that made the list surpassed 
the English and Math standards and the number of students scoring at 
that level has increased by 20 points over the past 5 years, based on 
4th and 8th grade test results.
  The schools that made the list come from a mixture of areas from my 
Congressional district, proving that improving education isn't just a 
socioeconomic issue, but an area of concern that knows no boundaries. I 
am hopeful these schools will provide motivation to the rest of the 
schools in my district. It is common knowledge that education is the 
key to our children's future. We must ensure that not only the schools 
who made the list this year, but every one of our public schools has 
the funding to maintain their momentum and help all their students to 
meet the tougher Regents' standards.
  The level of improvement by these schools is due to the hard work of 
the students, teachers, school staff and the parent body. Parents play 
a large role in the education of children by ensuring students complete 
their homework and improve their skills. However, I must specifically 
commend the teachers, who toil at a tough job that doesn't receive 
enough appreciation. That is why I am going to begin honoring teachers 
each month by naming a Teacher of the Month. This honor will allow us 
to recognize the dedication and tireless effort put forth by these true 
professionals.
  Once again, I congratulate all the honorees and look forward to 
honoring them, and other schools, in the future.

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