[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 16 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Pages 689-690]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Congressional Action on Proposed Education Flexibility 
Partnership Legislation

April 21, 1999

    I am pleased that a little more than a year after I proposed 
national ed-flex legislation to the Nation's Governors, an overwhelming 
majority in Congress has passed a solid ed-flex bill. I look forward to 
signing it without delay. This bill will offer States more flexibility 
in their use of Federal funding in exchange for demonstrated increases 
in student achievement.
    I am particularly pleased that the conference report strengthens 
accountability measures and preserves our effort to reduce class size in 
the early grades. The bipartisan work on this legislation shows we can 
and must work together to improve our Nation's schools.
    Now Congress can move on to the most important aspects of the 
Nation's education agenda--finishing the job of hiring 100,000

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well-prepared teachers to reduce class size, passing my initiative to 
help build and modernize 6,000 public schools, and re-authorizing the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act with my plan to hold States and 
school districts accountable for results.