    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [May 11, 2004]
    [Pages 842-852]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at Butterfield Junior High School in Van Buren, Arkansas
    May 11, 2004

        Thank you all very much. Thanks for coming. I appreciate it. Go
    ahead and be seated. Thanks for coming. Todd,
    thanks for having us. [Laughter] That story he told reminds me of the
    time when I had just got elected Governor of Texas, and a friend of mine
    said, ``Why don't you call old Bascom Bentley on the phone?'' He's an east Texas guy, and he said,
    ``Why don't you call Bascom Bentley on the phone and just wish him the
    best.'' So I picked up the phone and dialed old Judge Bentley. He's one
    of these east Texas judges. You probably know the kind I'm talking about
    here in Arkansas. [Laughter] I said, ``Judge, this is George W. Bush
    calling.'' He said, ``Come on, Cliff, quit pulling my leg.'' [Laughter]
        So, Todd, I understand how those phone
    calls can go. [Laughter] But we are serious about coming here because
    Butterfield Junior High is a place of academic achievement. That's why
    I'm here. It's a place--I'm here to congratulate this school and to hold
    you up as an example to the country. You're raising the bar. You see,
    this is a school that expects the best for every student. You're
    reaching for high standards, and more importantly, you're making
    progress toward meeting those standards. You're doing your job.
        I know the school year ends on May 27th. And I bet some of the
    students are

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    kind of looking forward to that date. [Laughter] As a matter of fact, I
    remember the feeling, myself, but summer vacation has got to feel better
    for you after a year of accomplishment. And this past year, students at
    Butterfield have accomplished a lot.
        Not only am I here to hold up the school and talk about setting high
    standards and making sure people achieve those standards, I'm here also
    to thank the teachers and the staff members and the parents, who believe
    in the potential of every young person and are willing to work hard to
    make sure every young person achieves that potential.
        Not only do we want to thank Todd for
    being a principal; it turns out that really good schools have got really
    good principals, people that are smart and capable and who believe the
    best. But really good principals also have got hard-working staffs, and
    I know how hard it is to welcome a President. I mean just take a look at
    those light fixtures--I don't--I'm not sure if that's a permanent part--
    [laughter]--of the gymnasium. But for all those who put on this event
    and put up with my entourage, I thank you for letting me come by.
        I appreciate your Governor showing up. He's a good friend of mine.
    He's an excellent person--Mike Huckabee is
    with us today, in case you don't recognize him. [Laughter] I'm proud of
    Mike. He said, ``Look, I'm going to set an example by taking care of my
    own body before I ask others to do the same.'' He's exercising, and he's
    eating smart, and his health is a lot better for it.
        I appreciate Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller joining us as well. Thank you, Governor.
        I'm proud to be able to work with a really fine Member of Congress
    from this district, in John Boozman. Where are
    you, John? Yes, thank you. Yes, there he is. I know Cathy and Kristen and
    Lauren are here as well, his wife, Cathy, and
    two daughters. I'm glad you all are here. The only problem I've got with
    Boozman is he keeps talking about the Arkansas-Texas game. [Laughter] I
    know it. I shouldn't have brought it up. [Laughter]
        I appreciate Dr. Merle Dickerson, who is
    the superintendent of the Van Buren School District. Merle, thank you
    for your hospitality. Thank you for your leadership. I appreciate so
    very much--I know the importance of a good school superintendent. See,
    when it came time to name the Secretary of Education, I picked a
    superintendent in Rod Paige. He was the
    superintendent of the Houston Independent School District. I saw him in
    action in implementing policies that raise standards and encourage the
    best for every student. So I know the importance of a good
    superintendent, and I appreciate you, Merle.
        Ray Simon is with us today. Where are
    you, Ray? Oh, there you go--blending in nicely. Ray is the Assistant
    Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. He's the former
    director of the Arkansas Department of Education. He works for Rod
    Paige. In other words, what I'm telling
    you is we pick good people to staff the Federal offices, people who
    understand the principles of the No Child Left Behind Act, which I'm
    about to describe to you.
        I appreciate Ken James, the director of
    the Arkansas Department of Education. Thank you for coming, Ken. Mayor
    John Riggs is with us. Where are you, Mr. Mayor?
    Mr. Mayor, I'm glad you're here. People give me advice all the time, so
    sometimes I like to give people advice. And Mr. Mayor, my only advice to
    you is, fill the potholes. [Laughter]
        I want to thank the Junior High Trailblazers for hosting me today. I
    appreciate the students letting us come on your campus. I hope you don't
    mind having the classes canceled for a while today. [Laughter]
        I also met Alyse Eady today. Where are you,
    Alyse? There she is. Alyse, thanks for coming. Let me tell you about
    Alyse. She's a sophomore at Southside High, and she

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    is a tutor at the Boys and Girls Club. The reason I bring up Alyse is
    because I want to remind everybody here what the strength of this
    country is.
        Now, a lot of people talk about the military being the strength of
    this country, and I see we've got some fine troops here. Thanks for
    coming. And the military is an important part of our strength. As a
    matter of fact, we're counting on the military in theaters overseas to
    make us more secure. We're counting on brave men and women to help
    spread freedom in parts of the world that desperately need freedom.
    We're counting on our military to make America more secure by spreading
    peace.
        And that's what you're seeing right now. On your TV screens, you're
    seeing tough work, because there are people who can't stand the thought
    of free societies springing up in the middle--in the midst of hatred and
    violence in the Middle East. But our troops are making sacrifices for
    our short-term and long-term security. A peaceful Iraq, a free Iraq,
    which is going to happen, will make America more secure.
        Part of our strength is the military. I intend to keep the military
    strong. Our men and women are going to have what it needs to keep the
    peace. Part of a strong America is a prosperous America. That's part of
    our strength; it's not the strength. It's part of the reason we're
    strong, and we'll keep our prosperity strong. But the real strength of
    America is in the hearts and souls of our citizens, and that's important
    for our country to understand.
        No, the true strength of this country happens when people hear the
    universal call to love a neighbor just like they'd like to be loved
    themselves. And here is a 10th grader in high
    school who's heard that call, has taken time out of her life to mentor
    and tutor children who may not have as much love in their life as she
    has had because of her mom and dad, Lewis and
    Lady.
        My call to the citizens of this country, whether they be in Fort
    Smith, Arkansas, or Van Buren, Arkansas, or anywhere else in the
    country, is to take time out of your life and follow your heart and help
    somebody who hurts, feed the hungry, provide shelter for the homeless,
    surround somebody with love who wonders whether or not their future is
    bright. No, the strength of this country, as witnessed by this young
    soldier in the army of compassion, is the heart and soul of the American
    people.
        And another part of the strength of America is the fact we've got a
    lot of teachers who care deeply about the students. The students--it's
    probably going to take the students a little while to appreciate the
    teachers. [Laughter] But I think when you look back, you're going to
    find out these people are some of the most important people you'll ever
    have in your life. And I'm not saying that just because I married a
    teacher. [Laughter] By the way, Laura is doing
    fabulous. She's a--[applause].
        The teachers here need to know that our Nation appreciates every man
    and woman who devotes a lifetime to building knowledge and character of
    the young people of this country. Teaching is one of the great callings,
    one of the most noble professions, and America deeply appreciates the
    service of America's teachers. For those of you who are a teacher at
    this school, thank you for what you do.
        I'm here today to talk about making sure our schools work. A little
    over 2 years ago, I signed into law an historic, bipartisan act of
    Congress called the No Child Left Behind Act. And the theory of this law
    was straightforward, and here's what it said. It said the Federal
    Government is spending more money on education, but for the first time,
    we're asking for results. That's a change.
        In the past, we used to send checks from Washington--and by the way,
    Washington should not be primary funder of schools in America. That's up
    to the States and the local people. But we had targeted money,
    particularly for poorer students. And we helped to send the checks, and

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    we just hoped something good happened. That was the old way, ``Here's
    your money, and maybe something positive will happen.''
        Now we're sending the checks, and we're asking the question, ``Are
    the children learning to read and write and add and subtract?'' That's
    not that tough a question, is it? It seems like it makes sense for
    taxpayers' money--in return for taxpayers' money, to determine whether
    or not we're meeting some basic goals. If you don't ask the question,
    you never find out the answer. If you don't say, ``We're sending you
    more money; now please show us whether or not a child can read''--if you
    don't ask, you'll never know until it's too late--until it's too late.
        As well we better figure out who needs help early, before it's too
    late. I mean, one of the reasons you ask the question, ``Can you read or
    write and add and subtract,'' is you want to diagnose early. You can't
    solve a problem unless you diagnose it. The importance of the No Child
    Left Behind Act is to find out who needs help.
        And so we've left behind an old attitude. See, I think some
    schools--there was this attitude that certain students can't learn, and
    so this--``Might as well shuffle them on from grade to grade.'' It's
    easy to shuffle the so-called--what they call hard-to-educate students
    through the system. It's easy to quit on families who might live in
    inner cities or rural areas. It's easy to quit on kids whose parents
    don't speak English as a first language. It's easy, but it is not fair.
    And that's not how we do things in the United States of America.
        I believe every child can learn. That's what I believe, and so do
    the people here at this school. So we've raised the standards for every
    public school. We're challenging what I call the soft bigotry of low
    expectations. We're--we require testing in the basics and holding
    schools accountable for results. An accountability system is how you
    determine whether or not what you're doing in the classrooms is working.
        Under the new law, when children are falling behind, the schools
    that need the most attention get extra help, extra money so the children
    can catch up. Let me repeat what I just said. Under the new law, when we
    discover that children are falling behind, that are not meeting
    standards, those schools get extra help, extra money to make sure that
    people are brought up to the standards. Schools will have time to
    improve. They will be able to use the accountability system to determine
    if they have the right curricula. Sometimes schools use the wrong
    curriculum. Sometimes they think this kind of reading program works,
    when, in fact, it doesn't. And they must have time to adjust, but at
    some point, there has to be an end to mediocrity.
        The attitude in this bill says no child should be trapped in a
    school that does not teach and will not change. In other words, there is
    time to change. There is time to change, but if you refuse to change,
    and somebody is still trapped in the school that is not meeting
    standards, then something has to happen. Parents need options to help
    their child. Federal dollars will follow the child.
        For example, if a school--a child is trapped in a school for several
    years that is--that's not meeting standards, the Federal Government will
    pay for after-school tutoring, and the parent can choose all kind of
    tutoring options, whether they be public or private. One parent--a
    parent can send the school--a child to a different public school. In
    other words, when--there has to be accountability in order for a--I
    mean, there has to be a consequence in order for an accountability
    system to work. When schools do not improve year after year, without
    consequences, we will not see change. That's just a fact of life.
        And so the new law says, ``You've got time to meet the standards,
    which we have raised. You've got time to improve.'' But because there's
    now consequences, parents will have more say in their child's education,
    and that's important, because we

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    want parents to be at the center of the education system in America. We
    want our parents more involved.
        There's no better way to get parents involved than by publishing
    test results for each school. Think about this. First of all, under the
    old system, a lot of parents believed their local schools were doing
    just fine because that's what they were told. ``Oh, don't worry, Johnny
    is doing just fine, and our school is too.'' But they never measured.
    And sometimes, that wasn't the case. Now parents don't have to take
    anybody's word for it. They can see the results themselves. An
    accountability system says, ``We'll measure, but we're going to post the
    results for everybody to see.'' If they see excellence, just like at
    this school, it will give them solid ground to thank the teachers and
    the principals for doing the job we expect. But if they see failure,
    like any good parent, they're going to want to know why. ``Why can't my
    school be like Butterfield? What is it about our school that doesn't
    match the performance of Butterfield Junior High?'' In other words, an
    accountability system, if properly used, will help people achieve a
    greater standard and will encourage more parental involvement.
        Now, let me make sure you understand one thing: I strongly believe
    in local control of schools. I believe firmly--there is a difference
    between asking the question about whether or not a child is learning and
    insisting that teachers and principals are free to teach the way they
    see fit. Superintendents and school boards are free to make change where
    they see change is necessary.
        The No Child Left Behind Act raises expectations but leaves control
    where it belongs, at the local level. See, you can't provide people
    excuses. There's no better excuse than saying, ``I would have done it
    this way, but the Federal Government told me to do it this way.'' I
    fully understand that. In order to make sure that there is an
    accountability system that works, you not only measure, but you then say
    to people, ``It's up to you to chart the path to excellence.'' You don't
    want Federal bureaucrats who you've never seen in Crawford County,
    Arkansas, making the decision for the classrooms in county--Crawford
    County, Arkansas. You need local control of schools so people who are
    making those decisions are accountable to the parents and the local
    citizens.
        For more than 2 years, we've been putting the new reforms into
    action. All 50 States, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico,
    have now drawn up plans to measure performance in every school. Notice--
    they drew up the plans. See, the State of Arkansas drew up its
    accountability plans. People in Puerto Rico decided the accountability
    system to use. This isn't a Federal test. The local people, the State
    people made the decision as to how to measure, and every State is
    reporting the information to the parents.
        And we're seeing progress. Let me tell you the facts. The test
    scores for fourth grade math around the Nation went up 9 points between
    the years 2000 and 2003. See, I'm able to tell you that because we
    measure. If we hadn't measured, I couldn't tell you that. Eighth graders
    improved by 5 points in the same period. In other words, math scores are
    beginning to go up--still too low, but they're heading toward higher
    standards. Reading scores for fourth graders increased in the vast
    majority of States that tested between 1998 and 2003, including the
    State of Arkansas. See, your reading scores are going up here.
        I'll never forget the day a woman
    looked at me--she's an African American friend of mine--and she said,
    ``You've got to understand something, Governor Bush''--at the time--
    ``reading is the new civil right.'' See, if you can't read, you can't
    realize the great promise of America. That's why we want every child
    reading. The good news is the reading scores are going up.
        Since 2000, average math scores in Arkansas went up 13 points in
    fourth grade,

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    and 9 points in eighth grade. By the way, that's higher than the
    national average.
        Things are happening in the country. When you raise the bar and you
    hold people to account, it's amazing the results you can get. And that's
    incredibly positive. Here at Butterfield Junior High, you have every
    reason to be proud. In 2003, this school met the adequate yearly
    progress standard expected under No Child Left Behind. In other words,
    the State put out a set of criterion and measurement standards, and you
    met it, right here at this school.
        Let me tell you what Traci Sellers said.
    Is Traci here, by the way? Probably not. Traci--I'm about to quote you.
    [Laughter] She's an English teacher. She said, ``The No Child Left
    Behind makes us aware of what we're doing and how we can improve. It
    encourages us as teachers to go that extra step, so that every child can
    succeed.'' I appreciate your attitude. I appreciate your hope.
        Think about what she said: ``It makes us
    aware of what we're doing.'' In other words, are we doing the right
    thing? Are we meeting expectations? ``Am I doing my job?'' she says,
    ``and the accountability system helps me understand whether I am or
    not.'' She said, ``How can I improve?'' What a fantastic attitude.
    Here's a teacher who loves her children, says, ``I want to make sure I'm
    doing the job, and if not, I want to figure out how to do the job
    better.'' That's why you have an accountability system. It says--it
    encourages us. In other words, instead of being discouraged by the
    system, it encourages.
        That's not the way everybody feels in America. There are people that
    don't like to change, and there are some complaints that I'd like to
    address today. Let me first by telling you, I think it's easier to make
    excuses sometimes than needed improvements. That's just human nature,
    isn't it? But the problem is we don't need people making excuses for
    educational failures in America. We need change.
        When it comes to testing, I've heard every excuse in the book. I bet
    the Governor has too. See, we put strong
    accountability measures in when I was the Governor of Texas, and I went
    around the State explaining it. And then the No Child Left Behind
    brought an avalanche of complaints as well. Some object to regular
    testing because they believe schools will just teach the test; that's
    what you hear. I'm sure you've heard it. Well, think about that for a
    minute. If a test measures basic knowledge, the basics in math or
    reading, then teaching the test means you're teaching a child the basic
    knowledge of reading and math.
        In other words, for a child to pass a reading test, you had better
    understand how to read. And therefore, in order to help the child pass
    the test, they've got to know how to read in the first place. And the
    reading accountability systems help people determine whether or not the
    child has got the basic tools necessary to be a good reader. That's what
    we're talking about here.
        The whole point is this: It is not enough to hope that students are
    learning. I mean, that's just, to me, an excuse why not to measure. We
    need to know the ones who are learning and the ones who are not
    learning. Some believe that the standards of No Child Left Behind are
    too high. They say that if you raise expectations, all you're doing is
    setting up children to fail. Yet this law requires students to perform
    at grade level, which doesn't seem like it's too high a bar to cross.
        I mean, we're asking children to read at third grade level if you're
    in the third grade. Why is that raising expectations too high? I mean,
    my goodness, that's what society should expect. If you want the kids to
    learn to read at grade level, then you better insist they learn to read
    at grade level. That's the standard that is important, and it's the
    standard that we must hold true to if we want to make sure every child

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    has a chance to succeed in our great country.
        Teachers and parents here today know this when it comes to
    standards: If you expect nothing from a child, if you expect low--if you
    have low standards for every child, don't be surprised at what you get.
    That's a fact of life. When you have high expectations, children have a
    way of rising to meet those expectations. High standards do not set
    children on a path to failure; high standards set our children on the
    path to success.
        Other critics say it is unfair to measure the performance of
    minority groups and unfair to require schools to improve the scores
    amongst all groups. That's a complaint you hear. These critics say we
    shouldn't fault a whole school just because some African American or
    Spanish students are not progressing. They're missing the higher--the
    people who say that missed the entire purpose of the law, and that is to
    make sure that no child of any background is left behind, see. That's
    the purpose of this law.
        The reason we measure success and problems group by group--that's
    what's called disaggregating data. In other words, we want to know--we
    don't want to look at the school as a whole; we want to look at the
    people in the school. And that's the difference. We want to look at the
    data based upon individuals. We want to know student performance. See,
    you've got to make sure the schools are serving every student. So in
    other words, when you look at the school as a whole, you don't know
    whether or not certain children are being left behind. You don't know
    whether certain children need extra help.
        And there's an achievement gap here in America today that we've got
    to close. There's an achievement gap between the test scores of white
    and minority students. Nationally, on reading tests, black and Hispanic
    fourth graders score at least 26 percentage points lower than white
    students in the same grade. We've got to do something about that. If we
    want this country to be a hopeful country for every citizen, if we want
    to make sure every person can realize the American Dream, we've got to
    close this gap. And what the accountability system--they'll help us
    close that gap by determining who needs help. No, we want America to be
    promising for every single child of every background so that not one
    single child in America is left behind.
        Another claim is that under the new law, we're punishing schools
    that are not making progress. See, sometimes when you change, people are
    quick to criticize. And one of the complaints is that schools get
    punished that aren't making progress, but people who make that claim
    ought to read the law. The truth is, the lowest performing schools are
    getting extra money to improve. That's what the--that's the truth.
        In 2003, we spent $234 million to assist underperforming schools to
    make sure people aren't left behind. In other words, we said, ``Here's a
    problem, and here's some extra money to help you fix it.'' In 2004,
    we'll at least double that amount. In other words, the Federal
    Government is saying, ``Measure, and, oh, by the way, when we find
    mediocrity, we'll help, but the local people have got to change. You've
    got to change what you're doing in order to make sure that children can
    learn.'' We expect schools to do their job, and we're helping them do
    their job. We also understand it can take some time to get there.
        Some say the No Child Left Behind Act doesn't provide enough money
    to meet our goals. First, let me tell you again what I said. It's the
    primary responsibility of the State and local governments to fund
    schools, not the Federal Government. But the additional testing required
    by the law--in other words, the Federal Government did say, ``Okay,
    you've got to test in return for money.'' We're helping to pay for the
    tests. People say, ``Well, it's an unfunded mandate to put
    accountability systems in place.'' No, the accountability systems are
    largely funded by the Federal Government.

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        Second, if my 2005 budget is enacted, Federal spending on elementary
    and high school education will have increased by 49 percent since 2001.
    In Arkansas, that's an extra $112 million Federal dollars for your
    public schools compared to 2001.
        Nationwide, since 2001, we've already increased funding for low-
    income schools under Title I--that's the money for the poorest of
    students--by 41 percent. That will rise to 52 percent if Congress
    approves my budget, which would mean an additional $37 million to help
    people in this State.
        In other words, we're doing our duty. We understand that people need
    extra help when it comes time to addressing problems early, before
    they're too late, and the Federal Government is responding.
        And I also want to remind you that we've done another thing--and
    Laura is very much involved with this--we've kicked off a major
    initiative to make sure our children can read at grade level by the
    third grade. We have quadrupled Federal funding since 2001 for America's
    reading programs--by the way, making sure that when we fund programs,
    that they use scientifically based programs, reading--not programs that
    sound like they might work but programs which actually do work in
    teaching the children of America how to read.
        This No Child Left Behind Act is a good law. It's a good, solid law.
    But I understand some adjustments need to be made, even in the best
    laws. So we've listened to schools and teachers, and we're responding in
    practical ways. We're making sure that the progress of special ed
    students is judged by standards appropriate to their development. In
    other words, as you measure a special ed student, there must be some
    flexibility in the measurement standards. And we know that.
        We're giving schools more time to bring students who don't speak
    English as a first language into the accountability system. If a fellow
    shows up at school and can't speak Spanish--I mean English--and only
    speaks Spanish, they need some time to learn the language before they
    become a part of the accountability system. They don't need a lifetime
    of learning, but there needs to be some flexibility in the
    accountability systems.
        We're giving schools in rural areas more latitude in meeting teacher
    qualification standards. In other words, we're flexible in the
    application of the law. Yet I will never compromise on this goal: Every
    child can learn the basics, and every school must teach the basics.
        A lot of the No Child Left Behind Act is--focuses on early grades,
    and that's good. In other words, my attitude is, and I think the
    attitude of the experts is, when we get it right early in the grades and
    stay focused, we're going to have a bunch of kids getting into high
    school who are literate, smart, and capable.
        But right now we've got some people that need help when it comes to
    reading. I mean, there have been some kids that have been shuffled
    through that are now in high school, and they're struggling to learn how
    to read. And we'd better get it right now, before they get out. And so
    I'm asking Congress to pass a $100 million Striving Reading Initiative,
    intensive intervention in children's lives who cannot read, before they
    get out of high school. It's an essential part--I mean, that's the
    minimum we can do. That's the basic part of making sure that a child has
    hope.
        We'll use resources to help the school districts to train teachers
    so they can get the right kind of help and use a curriculum that works.
    I mean, there are good curriculum that can work. The school districts
    need the help of implementing those curriculum, and that's what this
    money will be for.
        I also proposed a $120 million increase for the Mathematics and
    Science Partnership program. In other words, we want to make sure kids
    can read; we also want to make sure they can do math and science. But
    we've got some new jobs that are being

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    created that require new skill sets, and it's not good enough to shuffle
    kids out of the schools that don't know anything about math and science.
    And so the creation of these partnerships will help school districts set
    up effective math and science programs.
        I believe that in every school, we ought to continue to raise the
    bar, and one way to do so is to make sure that the advanced placement
    programs are vibrant and active across our country. Right here at
    Butterfield, you offer pre-8 AP courses, which is good--preparing these
    children to take advanced placement. Advanced placement means you're
    raising the bar as high as you can possibly go.
        I've proposed increasing money from the Federal Government, double
    the current amount we spend, for teacher training, to help good-hearted
    teachers become AP teachers.
        And I fully recognize as well there are some low-income students.
    When they go home and say, ``Look, I'm getting ready to take the AP
    exam,'' and the mother or father will say, ``How much does it cost,''
    and they lay out the cost of the AP exam, the mother or dad says, ``No,
    I think we'll use the money for something else,'' see. So the child
    prepares to take the AP, and then Mom or Dad look at the fund--look at
    the cost, and they say, ``No, we'd like for you to take the AP exam, but
    we need this money for rent or food.'' The Federal Government ought to
    help low-income students pay for the fee so they can take the AP exam.
    We want to be raising the bar for every student, and the entry fee
    should not be an excuse.
        One of the things we need to do is encourage math and science
    professionals from the private sector to teach part-time in our high
    schools. And so we've got what's called the Adjunct Teacher Corps, which
    is a neat program, when you think about it. Got somebody here in Fort
    Smith, Arkansas, who's an engineer. They may have--he or she may have
    worked for a while, and they may be retired, and the school district--I
    don't know if the high school principal is looking for a science teacher
    or not; he may be. But it makes sense to have--to encourage citizens to
    get back in the classroom as a second career, to lend their talents.
        You've got what you call a State Scholars program here in Arkansas.
    Governor, thanks for implementing it. It's an
    initiative that we announced here 2 years ago, which brings businesses
    and college officials in the middle schools and high schools to
    encourage students to take a more demanding coursework load. In other
    words, when you get--people can get inspired to take tougher courses, we
    ought to try to do so. The program is raising the completion rates in
    algebra II and chemistry and physics among Arkansas high school
    students. In other words, you've got more students now taking algebra II
    and chemistry and physics, and that's going to benefit your State.
        See, when you've got people with those skills getting out of high
    school, and somebody is looking to put a business here, they can say,
    ``Look at this. Look at the base of knowledge amongst people that we can
    employ in this State.'' People are likely to bring work here if the
    potential workforce has got the basics in math and science. And that's
    what you're doing. I want to expand the State Scholars program
    nationwide, just like we've done here in Arkansas. It's effective. It
    works.
        And there ought to be incentives to encourage students, and one way
    to do so is to give those students who finish a State Scholars program a
    boost in their Pell grant scholarship. In other words, we're saying to
    kids in high school, ``Reach higher. Here's some people to help you
    reach higher, some local college folks or businesspeople. And by the
    way, when you take a tougher course load and pass, you get additional
    scholarship money from the Pell grant.'' We've expanded Pell grants. I
    want to enrich them to encourage students to reach for the stars. So
    I've sent a proposal to Congress where they would

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    receive an additional $1,000 during each of their first 2 years of
    college. This will help 4,000 Arkansas seniors a year. This will provide
    an incentive for people to say, ``I want to do a better job in high
    school.''
        What I'm here to tell you is, I understand that public education is
    essential to the future of this country. It's essential we get it right.
    I'm here at Butterfield because I understand a good school is the
    gateway to hope. And we want that gate open all across America.
        After decades of missed opportunities, after missing chances to make
    sure every child has got the basics to succeed, we finally reformed the
    public schools of America. It took a lot of work. It took a lot of work
    to convince people that change is needed. But Congress listened; we
    passed a bill. Let me tell you something, when you get a ``yes'' vote
    from both Senators of Arkansas and both
    Senators from Texas and both Senators from Massachusetts,
    you've got yourself a bipartisan piece of legislation.
        And we're not backing down, see. I don't care how much pressure they
    try to put on the process. I'm not changing my mind about high standards
    and the need for accountability, because I know the promise it holds out
    for the--[applause].
        We're not going back to those days where we just kind of hope
    something happens. We're not going back to the days where kids just got
    moved through, and they weren't sure whether or not they could read, and
    at the end of the system, they said, ``Oops, they can't read.'' Those
    day were too pessimistic for me, and they don't represent the great
    values of the United States of America. See, we believe in the dignity
    of every human being. We believe in the worth of every child. We're
    optimistic people. We believe in raising the standards. We believe in
    giving schools the resources and flexibility they need. We have begun a
    new era in public education for the good of the United States of
    America.
        I better quit before some of us fall out. [Laughter] I know it. When
    you get the President, and he blows a lot of hot air--[laughter]--but I
    do want to thank you for your hospitality. I want to thank the people of
    this good school for believing in the best, for having such a clear
    vision about what's possible, about believing in the worth of every
    child. I want to thank the teachers. I appreciate your love and
    compassion. I want to thank you for never settling for mediocrity, for
    always aiming high.
        I want to thank the citizens who are here, the moms and dads. By the
    way, a child's first teacher is a mother or a father. That's the first
    teacher a child has. I like to remind people that we need to promote a
    culture of personal responsibility in America that starts with moms and
    dads who understand they're responsible for loving their child with all
    their heart. And by the way, a part of that personal responsibility
    society is one that says if you've got a problem with the school in the
    community in which you live, you do something about it. See? You don't
    rely on some faraway Government to take care of it. Do something about
    it.
        Part of this responsibility era says if you're a CEO in corporate
    America, you're responsible for telling the truth to your shareholders
    and your employees. And finally, a responsibility society is one in
    which each of us loves our neighbor just like we'd like to be loved
    ourself.
        It's such an honor to be here at Butterfield, in Van Buren,
    Arkansas. I'm proud to be here. Thanks for coming out to say hello. May
    God bless you all, and may God continue to bless the United States of
    America.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:45 a.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Todd Marshell, principal, Butterfield Junior High School; and Gov. Mike
    Huckabee and Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller of Arkansas.

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