[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.