    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [January 8, 2003]
    [Pages 35-40]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act
    January 8, 2003

        The President. Thank you all. Thanks for coming. Thank you. It's one
    of the few jobs in America where you get introduced by your wife on a regular basis--[laughter]--in your home.
    [Laughter] And we're glad you're here. This is a--you're one of our
    first guests we've had since the new year. And this is an appropriate
    gathering because Laura and I share a deep passion to make sure every
    child gets educated in America.
        We want to thank you for coming. And this is an interesting day. It
    marks the anniversary of an incredibly important legislative
    accomplishment. It was a year ago that I signed the No Child Left Behind
    education act. It was the most meaningful education reform probably
    ever.
        I wish all the Democrats and Republicans who helped us on that bill
    were here today. They've got other business. One Republican is here, and
    that's Senator Judd Gregg from New Hampshire, who
    is the author--the Senate author on the Republican side.
        This was a art of what is possible in Washington. It was a
    legislative victory on behalf of the children of America. And it showed
    the American people that when people set aside this needless partisan
    bickering, we can get some positive things done.
        So, a year ago we signed the piece of legislation that I'm
    absolutely confident is going to change our schools for the better,
    change the whole structure of education for the good. But it also was a
    signal to those who love to divide in Washington, DC, that when we put
    our minds to it,

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    when we focus on the greater good, we can get a lot done.
        So I want to congratulate the members of both political parties on
    this anniversary for working so hard to accomplish a significant and
    meaningful piece of legislation. And now we've got to get to work. Now
    we've got to do the job that's expected.
        We can say that the work of reform is well begun. And that's--that's
    a true statement. The work will be complete, however, when every
    school--every public school in America is a place of high expectations
    and a place of achievement. That is our national goal.
        And there are a lot of good people working on that goal. We've got
    good people here at the Federal level working on it--no better advocate
    than--excellence in public schools than Laura.
    She was a schoolteacher. She's a schoolteacher. She's a reading expert.
    She is a public school librarian. She's very knowledgeable, and she is
    passionate. And so this year she's going to spend a lot of time working
    with the local folks to achieve excellence for every single child.
        And so is our--so is Rod Paige, who is
    running the Department of Education. I like to tease Rod a little bit.
    When I was looking for somebody to run the Department of Education, I
    wasn't interested in anybody who was good on the theory. I wanted
    somebody who was good on actually doing the job of being a
    superintendent of schools. And he ran the toughest school district in
    our State of Texas, which was the Houston Independent School District.
    And he did a great job, because he believed in high standards,
    accountability, and local control for the schools in the district. And
    Rod is the right man to be the Secretary of Education at this time in
    our Nation's history, and he has not let us down.
        Secretary Paige. Thank you.
        The President. Appreciate you.
        If you follow schools and if you follow public education, you know
    that you can find excellence in schools where you've got a good
    principal. Obviously, it requires good teachers. But if you've got a
    good principal, an innovative, smart, capable person who is motivated
    and dedicated and who believes every child can learn, you'll find
    excellence in that particular school. And we've got eight such
    principals with us today, and it is my honor to herald them.
        Bernice Whelchel, who is the principal
    of City Springs Elementary School right here in Baltimore, Maryland, or
    right close here in Baltimore, Maryland. I want to thank you.
        Mary Ann Hawthorne Ann is the principal
    of the Samuel Gompers Vocational and Technical High School in Bronx, New
    York. Appreciate you, Mary Ann. Thank you.
        Keith Owens, who is from Beulah Heights
    Elementary School in Pueblo, Colorado. Keith. Yes, thank you.
        Keith Posley is from Clarke Street
    Elementary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
        J.R. Guinn, R. Del Valle High School, El Paso,
    Texas.
        Lorraine Fong, Woo who is the principal
    from Kew Elementary in Inglewood, California. I appreciate you,
    Lorraine. Good to see you again.
        Patrick Galatowitsch, who is the
    principal of Rolling Hills Elementary School, Orlando, Florida.
        Beth Hager, principal of the
    Whitney M. Young Middle School in Cleveland, Ohio.
        I appreciate you all. I'm glad you're here. I want to thank you for
    standing up here with Laura and me and Rod. It is
    a chance for us to remind our fellow citizens that when you find a good
    principal, thank him or her from the bottom of your heart for doing one
    of the toughest jobs in the country. But I hope it's one of the most
    rewarding jobs for you. Because, after all, you're achieving what a lot
    of people say can't happen, and that is you've taken some tough schools
    and converted them to little centers of excellence. And you can truly
    say that because of your efforts and your love and your energy, no child
    in your

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    school is going to be left behind. Thank you all.
        Today I had the honor of meeting members of the President's
    Commission on Special Education. I want to thank you all for your hard
    work. We will be reauthorizing IDEA* this year with Members of Congress.
    I know Senator Gregg holds this issue close to
    his heart. I think you'll find that the reforms suggested in the
    Commission's findings is going to be a great place for you to start, and
    hopefully finish, Mr. Senator. [Laughter]
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        *White House correction.
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        I also want to thank the education officials from five States, which
    I will be naming a little later, officials who are on the leading edge
    of education reform. I'm not going to tip my hand as to why you're here
    yet, but thank you all for coming. [Laughter] I know that many in this
    room have devoted your entire lives to bringing a spirit of high
    achievement to education in America, and I want to thank you for that.
    You understand success. You've seen success firsthand--and
    unfortunately, too many instances you are aware of the persistent
    problems in our schools.
        Perhaps the biggest problem is that we have passed children from
    grade to grade, year after year, and those--child hadn't learned the
    basics of reading and math. That says to me that somebody somewhere
    along the way believes certain children can't learn, so therefore, let's
    just shuffle them through.
        Many schools in our country are places of hope and opportunity.
    Eight such schools are here; many schools in the five States represented
    are places where people can feel hopeful for the future. Unfortunately,
    too many schools in America have failed in that mission. The harm has
    been greatest in the poor and minority communities. Those kids have been
    hurt the worst because people have failed to challenge the soft bigotry
    of low expectations.
        Over the years, parents across America have heard a lot of excuses--
    that's a reality--and oftentimes have seen little change. One year ago
    today, the time for excuse-making has come to an end. With the No Child
    Left Behind Act, we have committed the Nation to higher standards for
    every single public school. And we've committed the resources to help
    the students achieve those standards. We affirm the right of parents to
    have better information about the schools and to make crucial decisions
    about their children's future. Accountability of results is no longer
    just a hope of parents. Accountability for results is now the law of the
    land.
        In return for receiving Federal money, States must design
    accountability systems to measure whether students are learning to read
    and write and add and subtract. In return for a lot of money, the
    Federal Government, for the first time, is asking, ``Are we getting the
    kind of return the American people want for every child?'' The only way
    to be sure of whether or not every child is learning is to test
    regularly and to show everybody, especially the parents, the results of
    the tests. The law further requires that test scores be presented in a
    clear and meaningful way so that we can find the learning problems
    within each group of students. I'll show off a little bit--it's called
    disaggregation of results. [Laughter]
        Annual report cards are required to grade the schools, themselves,
    so parents can judge how the schools compare to others. Excellence will
    be recognized. It's so important for us to measure, so that we can
    praise the principals and teachers who are accomplishing the objectives
    we all hope for. And at the same time, poor performance cannot be
    disguised or hidden.
        Schools that perform poorly will be noticeable and given time and
    given incentives and given resources to improve. Schools that don't
    improve will begin to face consequences, such as that parents can move
    their child to another public school

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    or hire a tutor or any other academic help. We will not accept a school
    that does not teach and will not change.
        Schools have a responsibility to improve, and they also have the
    freedom to improve in this law, and that's important. I can assure you,
    I haven't changed my attitude about Federal control of schools. When I
    was the Governor of Texas, I didn't like the idea of Federal control of
    schools. I felt we were pretty competent in the State of Texas to run
    our own schools. I still feel that way, now that I've been up here for 2
    years. I believe in local control of schools, and this principle is
    inherent in this bill.
        The key choices about curriculum and teaching methods will be made
    at the State and local level. Input will be given by parents and
    teachers and principals who know the local culture best. Parents and
    educators will not be bystanders in education reform. As a matter of
    fact, in our view, they are the agents of education reform. And this law
    upholds that principle as well.
        Across America, States and school districts are working hard to
    implement these reforms. Today Secretary Paige is approving the first five accountability plans, hence
    the five folks I've invited here. [Laughter] The first five
    accountability plans have been approved, and they are from the States of
    Ohio and Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Indiana.
        Their plans are rigorous, and their plans are innovative. They are
    also varied, reflecting the different strengths and challenges within
    each State. One size doesn't fit all when it comes to public education.
    What counts are results. What counts are the fact that the schools will
    be teaching the basics and children learn how to read and compute. These
    States recognize that.
        I want to thank you very much for showing what is possible, for
    being on the leading edge. The plans show the kind of energy and
    commitment and good faith that education reform demands. These leaders
    who have prepared these plans show us that high standards are not a
    burden to carry. They show us that this is a opportunity to seize. The
    leaders also show a faith and confidence in their students, a belief
    that every child can learn.
        Children respond to an atmosphere of high standards. As teachers and
    parents can tell you, children love to learn. They just love it. And
    they sense when we have faith in them, and they love to justify that
    faith. And that's what you all have shown, faith in every child.
        The main reservations we've heard in the year since we passed the
    reform have come from some adults, not the children, who say the testing
    requirement is an unfunded mandate on the States. Well, that's not true.
    We put up $387 million to provide for testing, to pay for the testing in
    this year's budget. I intend to ask for the same amount next year. We
    demanded excellence. We're going to pay for the accountability systems
    to make sure that we do get excellence.
        Some have claimed that testing somehow distracts from learning. I've
    heard this excuse since I was the Governor of Texas, ``Oh, you're
    teaching the test.'' Well, if a child can pass the reading test, the
    child has learned to read, as far as I'm concerned.
        Other critics worry that high standards and measurement invite poor
    results. In other words, ``Don't measure. You might see poor results,''
    I guess is what they're saying--that they fear that by imposing clear
    standards, we'll set some schools up for failure and that we'll identify
    too many failing schools. Well, the reasoning is backwards, as far as
    I'm concerned, and a lot of other good people are concerned as well. You
    don't cause a problem by revealing the problem. Accountability doesn't
    cause failure; it identifies failure. And only by acknowledging poor
    performance can we ever help schools to achieve. You can't solve a
    problem unless you first diagnose the problem.

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        And so the accountability schools understand--the accountability
    rules understand that schools can achieve. And that's why these eight
    are up here with us. And I want to cite two examples. One, Beulah
    Heights Elementary in Pueblo, Colorado--the proportion of fourth graders
    reading at or above proficiency has gone from 50 percent, which is
    clearly unacceptable, to 86 percent in 3 years.
        How do we know? We measured. He wouldn't be standing here if we
    didn't measure. We'd be guessing as to whether or not--and we'd find
    out, unfortunately, after the 50 percent that couldn't read graduated
    from high school and still couldn't read. Accountability helps address
    problems early, before it's too late. Accountability gives us a chance
    to praise a principal and thank your teachers too.
        At Del Valle High School in El Paso, less than half the children in
    that high school could pass an Algebra I exam 2 years ago. See, we
    measured in Texas. We wanted to know. This year, the number has risen to
    74 percent.
        I want to tell you what J.R. Guinn R. has said.
    He said, ``You have to make the expectation of success part of your
    belief system.'' We're raising the bar, and we expect success. And J.R.,
    you're getting success. Thank you for your leadership. Good job.
        All these school leaders understand it's not easy to turn a school
    around. They know that. It's hard to go from frustration and despair to
    achievement and pride. Yet these principals and the teachers have made
    the effort, and they're seeing the results. And it must make you feel
    great.
        This administration is committed to your effort. And with the
    support of Congress, we will continue to work to provide the resources
    school need to fund the era of reform. This school year, we're providing
    more money than ever before to help States and school districts. The
    Federal Government is going to spend $22 billion this year. Over the
    last 2 years, we've increased funding for elementary and secondary
    education by 49 percent. That's a large increase.
        It is not enough to spend more on schools, however. This issue is
    not just about money. We must spend money more wisely. We must spend
    money on what works. And we must make sure we continue to insist upon
    results for the money we spend.
        The priorities of the No Child Left Behind Act will be reflected in
    the budgets I submit, as long as I'm working here. This year, for
    example, I'm requesting more than $1 billion for the Federal reading
    programs in next year's budget.
        Now, I want you to know something about reading. Laura and I share a passion for reading. We want to make sure
    every child learns to read by the third grade. However, we will not fund
    reading programs which do not work. My friend Reid Lyon
    Reid is here from the National Institute of Health. Reid is a
    reading expert. He understands the science of reading. He explained to
    me a long time ago, some curricula work and some don't. He understands
    what works. Again, I repeat, we're willing to spend more money. We're
    not going to spend money on curriculum that will not teach our children
    how to read.
        But we are willing to spend it, because we understand that if you
    can't read, the science programs don't matter, it's hard to excel in
    math. Reading is the gateway to knowledge. Reading is the true civil
    right of the 21st century, as far as I'm concerned.
        And we're proposing more money for Title I students as well. We're
    going to ask for the '04 budget a billion-dollar increase, up to $12.3
    billion for Title I students, because one of the goals in this Nation
    has got to be to close the achievement gap.
        That starts with having high expectations. You see, I want to repeat
    what I said earlier: I believe that too many of the adults figure
    certain children cannot learn. And they just say, ``Heck, let's just
    move them

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    through.'' So we not only need to make sure the money is there, but
    we've got to make sure the attitude changes. And the accountability
    systems within the No Child Left Behind Act insist that we have an
    attitude change in America. That's what this says.
        One year ago, we met the first challenge of education reform. We
    passed the law. And now we've got another challenge, and that's the
    implementation of this law. Today we honor five States; there are 45
    more to go. Some of the education leaders of those States are here. We
    look forward to seeing your plans. We look forward to seeing the spirit
    of the No Child Left Behind law in your plans. We look forward to strong
    accountability systems. We look forward to seeing the implementation of
    curricula that works. We look forward to the hiring of principals who
    know how to lead a school. We look forward to rewarding teachers who are
    not only lending their hearts but their talents to make sure no child
    gets left behind. We look forward to a culture in America that
    understands every child can learn. And we look forward to the day that
    no child in this country is ever left behind.
        Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:46 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Keith Owen, principal, Beulah
    Heights Elementary School in Pueblo, CO; and G. Reid Lyon, chief, Child
    Development and Behavior Branch, National Institute of Child Health and
    Human Development, National Institutes of Health. He also referred to
    the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Public Law No.
    91-230); and Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994
    (Public Law No. 103-382), which amended Title I of the Elementary and
    Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public Law No. 89-10).