    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [October 5, 1994]
    [Page 1705]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Senate Action on Education Legislation
    October 5, 1994

        I am gratified by the broad bipartisan support in the Senate for
    final passage of the elementary and secondary education act (ESEA). This
    act is good news for students, teachers, families, and communities
    across our country. It represents a commitment to world-class standards
    of academic achievements for all students and to adequate preparation
    for every teacher. It brings added help to the schools that need it the
    most and offers new flexibility to States and local communities. It
    reinforces our national commitment to schools that are safe and drug-
    free and that offer young people a disciplined environment for learning.
    It encourages parental involvement in the education of their children.
    And it puts the Federal Government squarely on the side of public school
    choice, innovative charter schools, and character education.
        Final passage of the ESEA is the capstone of 2 years of efforts to
    improve the entire system of lifelong learning. In an economy in which,
    more and more, what we earn depends upon what we learn, these efforts
    are the key to our future. Head Start reform, national goals for
    elementary and secondary education, new bridges between schools and
    workplaces, national and community service that allows citizens to help
    their country while expanding educational opportunity, loan reform that
    lowers costs and allows students to repay their debts as a percentage of
    income over time--these reforms mean increased opportunity, a more
    productive economy, and a more inclusive society. Future generations
    will look back on this period as years of historic accomplishment that
    began the task of renewing our Nation by investing in our people.