    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [October 9, 2007]
    [Page 1295]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting on the No Child Left Behind Act
    Reauthorization
    October 9, 2007

        Secretary Spellings and I are so
    pleased to welcome you all to the Roosevelt Room. With us today are a
    group of concerned citizens from a variety of groups, here to discuss
    the No Child Left Behind Act. People around this table care deeply about
    making sure every child gets a good education. We're deeply concerned
    about school systems that don't focus on each individual. Some school
    systems are just moving kids through, and as a result, our education
    system is letting too many children down, too many families without
    hope. So we're going to strategize and work together to make sure the No
    Child Left Behind Act is reauthorized and made stronger.
        And so I want to thank you all for coming. I love your passion. I
    appreciate the fact that you care deeply about the future of this
    country and that you believe, like I believe, every child can learn, and
    we have an obligation to teach every child how to read and write and add
    and subtract.
        So thank you for joining us. We'll see you all in the Rose Garden
    here in a minute.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:06 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. In his remarks, he referred to Secretary of Education
    Margaret Spellings. Also participating in the meeting were the First
    Lady; John C. Brittain, chief counsel and senior deputy director,
    Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Roslyn McCallister Brock,
    vice chairman, National Association for the Advancement of Colored
    People National Board of Directors; Michael Casserly, executive
    director, Council of the Great City Schools; Wade Henderson, president
    and chief executive officer, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights;
    Lawrence Hernandez, founder, chief executive officer, and principal,
    Cesar Chavez Academy, Pueblo, CO; Marc H. Morial, president and chief
    executive officer, National Urban League; Janet Murguia, president and
    chief executive officer, National Council of La Raza; Dianne Pich,
    executive director, Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights; Sonia
    Rodriguez, chairperson, Coalition for Access to Educational Resources;
    Ricki Sabia, associate director, National Down Syndrome Society Policy
    Center; Amy Wilkins, vice president for government affairs and
    communications, The Education Trust; and Peter Zamora, cochair, Hispanic
    Education Coalition.