[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 47 (Monday, November 29, 1999)]
[Page 2440]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards 
Announcement of New Board-Certified Teachers

November 22, 1999

    Today the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards 
announced that 2,965 more teachers met the teaching profession's highest 
standards and achieved National Board certification. I want to 
congratulate them and commend all who applied for certification, for 
their personal commitment to high-quality education. These teachers 
represent all regions of the country; public and private schools; rural, 
urban, and suburban districts; and every grade from kindergarten through 
high school. Teachers who pursue these standards set a sterling 
example--for their students and for our country.
    We all know that one of the most important factors behind a child's 
educational success is having a caring, competent, and committed 
teacher. That's why my administration has strongly supported the work of 
the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which has now 
certified nearly 5,000 of our most talented teachers. With today's 
announcement, we are on the way to meeting the challenge I have set: 
making sure we have a Board-certified teacher in every school in the 
Nation by 2006.