    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [May 22, 1991]
    [Pages 542-544]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 542]]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting Proposed Legislation to Promote
    Excellence in Education
    May 22, 1991

    To the Congress of the United States:
        I am pleased to transmit today for your immediate consideration and
    enactment the ``AMERICA 2000 Excellence in Education Act,'' a bill to
    help America attain the National Education Goals by the year 2000. I
    believe that a bold and comprehensive effort, involving all sectors of
    our society, is needed if we are to implement real educational reforms
    and reach the National Education Goals by the year 2000. The ``AMERICA
    2000 Excellence in Education Act'' would authorize specific legislative
    initiatives designed to support such an effort.
        Eight years ago, the National Commission on Excellence in Education
    reported to the Nation that our schools were failing. Since that time,
    States and localities have enacted a number of school reforms, but these
    actions have been too slow and too timid. The strategy that I announced
    on April 18 responds to our need for bold action. It would bring
    together elected officials, business people, educators, parents, social
    service providers, civic and religious groups, and, to the greatest
    extent possible, every American in every community in a crusade to
    transform our educational system.
        AMERICA 2000 is more than just a Federal effort; it is truly a
    national strategy. Only through a national effort, in which all sectors
    of society join, will we be able to attain our goals. Further, AMERICA
    2000 is not just a program or a set of programs; rather, it is a
    national crusade. The legislative proposals included in this bill are
    just components, albeit very important components of a strategy most of
    which would take place outside the Federal Government.
        The ``AMERICA 2000 Excellence in Education Act'' includes the
    following specific legislative initiatives aimed at fulfilling the
    principles described below:
        The New American Schools program would provide seed money
                for the start-up of ``break-the-mold'' schools. These
                schools would: (1) employ the best that is known about
                teaching and learning; (2) make use, as appropriate, of the
                latest technologies; and (3) be tailored to meet the needs
                and characteristics of individual communities. At least one
                school would be established in each U.S. Congressional
                District in communities designated as ``AMERICA 2000
                Communities.''
        The Merit Schools program would reward schools that make
                notable progress toward achievement of the National
                Education Goals, particularly the goal of ensuring that all
                students leave grades four, eight, and twelve having
                demonstrated competence in the core academic subjects. At
                least 20 percent of each State's funding would be used for
                awards to schools that have made outstanding progress in
                mathematics and science education. This program would
                provide a powerful incentive for all schools to improve
                their educational performance.
         Attainment of the National Education Goals will depend
                heavily on the preparation and performance of teachers,
                principals, and other school leaders. Therefore, three
                initiatives focus on providing seed money for the training
                of teachers and school leaders and for the development of
                alternative teacher and principal certification programs in
                the States.
            --Governors' Academies for Teachers would be established in each
                State. These academies would provide experienced teachers
                with opportunities for renewal and enhancement of their
                knowledge and teaching skills in the core academic
                disciplines of English, mathematics, science, history, and
                geography. Separate funding would be used by the academies
                to reward and recognize outstanding teachers of the core
                subjects.
            --Governors' Academies for School Leaders would operate in each
                State to provide current and prospective

    [[Page 543]]

                principals and other school leaders with training in
                instructional leadership, school-based management, school
                reform strategies, and other skills necessary for effective
                educational administration.
            --The Alternative Certification of Teachers and Principals
                program would assist States interested in broadening the
                pool of talent from which to recruit teachers and
                principals. Funds would assist States to develop and
                implement, or expand and improve, flexible certification
                systems. Through these alternative certification systems,
                talented professionals, and others who have demonstrated
                subject matter competence or leadership in fields outside of
                education could become teachers or principals.
         The Educational Reform through Flexibility and
                Accountability part of the legislation would authorize
                projects that would improve student outcomes through
                increased flexibility in using Federal, State, and local
                categorical funds and services to achieve specific goals.
         The bill would also improve the Chapter 2 State grant
                program by requiring that more funds be reserved at the
                State level, where more significant educational reform
                activities can be implemented. The bill would also authorize
                the use of those funds to support enhancement of parental
                choice.
         Educational choice is one of the most important tools that
                communities can embrace in their pursuit of educational
                improvement. Three components of the ``AMERICA 2000
                Excellence in Education Act'' address the need for
                encouraging and testing different methods for enhancing
                educational choice.
            --The bill would amend the Chapter 1 Compensatory Education
                program to support decisions by parents making educational
                choices for their children. As amended, the statute would
                provide that Chapter 1 services follow the child
                participating in Chapter 1 to the public or private school
                that the child chooses to attend. The child's local school
                system would arrange for Chapter 1 services to ``follow the
                child'' or, if the school system decides that approach is
                not feasible or efficient, it would provide the child's
                parents with a cash grant that would enable them to purchase
                compensatory education services for their children.
            --The Assistance for Parental Choice initiative would provide
                payments to local educational agencies that have implemented
                programs in which parents are permitted, and given
                sufficient financial incentives, to select among a variety
                of public and private educational programs.
            --Educational Choice Programs of National Significance would
                make grants to demonstrate and evaluate approaches that show
                potential for expanding educational choice.
         To assist in measuring progress toward the National
                Education Goals, the bill would make important changes to
                the authority for the National Assessment of Educational
                Progress. The bill would authorize the collection of State-
                representative data on English, mathematics, science,
                history, and geography in grades four, eight, and twelve
                beginning in 1994. The legislation would also permit the use
                of National Assessment tests at district and school levels
                by States that wish to do so.
         Because Americans need to know how much time their children
                should spend learning and how that time should be used, the
                bill would authorize creation of a National Commission on
                Time, Study, Learning, and Teaching.
         In support of the National Education Goal that every adult
                American be literate by the year 2000, the bill would
                authorize establishment of Regional Literacy Resource
                Centers. These centers would provide technical assistance
                to, and enhance coordination among, State and local
                providers of literacy services.
        I urge the Congress to take prompt and

    [[Page 544]]

    favorable action on this legislation. Taken together, these initiatives,
    coupled with the rest of the AMERICA 2000 strategy, would spur the
    actions that are necessary for this country to attain the National
    Education Goals by the year 2000.

                                                                 George Bush

    The White House,
    May 22, 1991.