    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [February 26, 2000]
    [Pages 324-325]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    February 26, 2000

        Good morning. Last month, in my State of the Union Address, I called
    on Congress to help us launch a 21st century revolution in education,
    guided by our faith that every child can learn. This morning I'm
    announcing new steps to do just that, to provide tools for States and
    local communities to turn around their worst performing schools or shut
    them down.
        If our Nation is going to make the most of the promise of the new
    economy, we must help every American make the most of their God-given
    potential. But students can't aim high in schools that perform low.
    Every child deserves a high-quality education.
        Over the last 7 years we've followed a commonsense reform strategy:
    Invest more in our schools and demand more in return. I'm proud that our
    administration has enacted the largest investments in education in three
    decades, while at the same time working hard for higher standards,
    greater accountability, and extra help so that all children can meet
    those high standards.
        It's working. Across our Nation, reading and math scores are on the
    rise. But in spite of this progress, too many schools in our poorest
    neighborhoods still fail to offer a quality education, and too few of
    these failing schools ever get enough help to turn around.
        That's why I challenged Congress last year to pass my plan to
    establish a new school accountability fund to help States and local
    communities to fix failing schools. Together, we enacted a landmark
    initiative to provide $134 million to States and school districts this
    year alone. Today I'm releasing official guidelines to ensure that these
    funds are invested in what works.
        We're taking two unprecedented steps. First, under our plan
    districts and States will soon receive money dedicated entirely to
    turning around failing schools. This accountability fund will enable
    districts to take firm measures, putting in a tougher curriculum,
    helping teachers get the skills and training they need, and if
    necessary, closing down a failing school and reopening it under new
    management or as a public charter school.
        Second, my plan also expands public school choice. For the first
    time ever, we'll require that districts give students in a chronically
    failing school the option to transfer to a better performing public
    school.
        We know accountability works because that's what the experience of
    local communities tells us. Two years ago, for example, North Carolina
    drew up a list of the State's 15 worst performing schools and sent
    assistance teams to each school. Just a year later, reading and math
    scores shot up, and 14 of those 15 schools improved their performance
    enough to be taken off the list. I've been to schools all over our
    country that are achieving in the very same way.
        Ultimately, of course, it's up to States and local communities to
    take the reins and turn around a failing school, but the Federal
    Government must play a key role by granting more flexibility, demanding
    more accountability, and investing more in education. With today's
    action, we're declaring as a nation that we will not fail our children
    by tolerating failing schools. We must do more.
        In our budget for the coming year, I'm doubling the size of the
    accountability fund to $250 million and doubling our support for after-
    school and summer school programs, so that every child in a low-
    performing school has the opportunity to participate. I ask Congress to
    do its part and make these vital investments.
        Again, I also ask Congress to pass my ``Education Accountability
    Act,'' which will make our schools even more focused on results. We must

    [[Page 325]]

    stay on track to hiring 100,000 high-quality teachers to reduce class
    size in the early grades. We must fulfill our commitment to build and
    modernize public schools. And we must invest in efforts to mentor
    disadvantaged students to help them understand that if they learn what
    they need to learn, they can all now go on to college.
        This entire strategy is rooted in fundamental values: Everyone
    counts; everyone deserves a chance; everyone has a role to play; and we
    all do better when we help each other.
        Fixing a failing school isn't easy, but communities are proving
    every day that it can be done. So we must continue to invest more and
    demand more. We owe it to our children and to our future.
        Thanks for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 3:37 p.m. on February 25 in the Oval
    Office at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on February 26.
    The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary
    on February 25 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast.