    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 35 (Monday, September 4, 2000)]
    [Pages 1941-1942]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    The President's Radio Address

    August 26, 2000

        Good morning. For millions of American children, this is the last
    glorious weekend of summer vacation. Ready or not, they're picking out
    new clothes and packing their school supplies for a promising new school
    year.
        When that first bell rings on Monday, it signals not just the start
    of a new semester but also the highest enrollment in our Nation's
    history. This fall a record 53 million students will fill our
    classrooms. Unfortunately, thousands of school districts are struggling
    to find enough teachers to fill them.
        Today I want to talk about this critical teacher shortage and the
    steps we're taking to address it. For nearly 8 years now, Vice President
    Gore and I have pushed to invest more in our schools and demand more
    from them. We've dramatically increased Federal investment in after-
    school and summer school. We've raised standards, strengthened
    accountability, and worked to turn around failing schools. Today, math,
    reading, and SAT scores all are up, and more students than ever are
    going on to college.
        Because America needs good new teachers more than ever before, we've
    set out to hire 100,000 of the highest quality, and we're pushing hard
    toward that goal. Since 1998, we've helped local schools hire a third of
    that total, and this year we've asked Congress for funding to reach
    50,000.
        We've also provided housing discounts for teachers moving to
    distressed communities and the forgiveness of student loans for those
    who commit to stay. All across our Nation, school districts are looking
    for a new generation of dedicated teachers. In Cleveland, for example,
    administrators hired more than 200 teachers over the summer, but they're
    still looking for another 400. And Cleveland is not alone.
        With a strong economy and such a tight labor market, it's hard to
    find so many qualified professionals, and the challenge is growing. Over
    the next decade, America will need to hire 2.2 million new teachers both
    to handle rising enrollment and to replace those teachers set to retire.
        By working together as communities and a nation, we can meet the
    growing need for more teachers in our classrooms. Today I'm announcing
    the first-ever national on-line teacher recruitment clearinghouse. By
    logging on to www.recruitingteachers.org, school districts can find
    qualified teachers, and teachers can find out where the jobs are.
        I'm also directing Secretary Riley to notify every school district
    about this new tool and to provide them with information about how to
    make the most of it. This will transform what has been a hit-or-miss
    process into a more efficient, effective exchange of information. And
    over time, this site will help us to alleviate the national teacher
    shortage and to bring down class size.
        Studies show what parents already know: Students perform better in
    smaller classes with more individual attention and greater discipline.
    In a few short weeks, Congress will return to Washington hot from the
    campaign trail, but America's families know this isn't just an election
    year; it's also a school year.
        They want Congress to put progress before partisanship and to pass
    an education budget that reflects our national priorities. I urge
    Congress to pass my package of proposals to continue cutting class size
    and boosting teacher quality. These initiatives would provide $2.75
    billion to recruit, train, and hire teachers, to reduce the class size
    and to invest in teacher quality so we can make real progress toward our
    goal of having a qualified teacher in every classroom.
        I also urge Congress to take prompt action on our proposal to help
    local school districts tackle the enormous challenge of modernizing old
    schools and building new ones. The average American public school was
    built 42

    [[Page 1942]]

    years ago, and decades of use have taken their toll. It is high time we
    get our children out of trailers and into 21st century classrooms.
        At the start of this new school year, parents and teachers
    everywhere are telling students to do their best. In turn, their
    families have a right to expect that we, here, will do ours. So let's
    not make them wait another year for the resources they need.
        With more teachers, smaller classes, modern schools, and faith in
    their future, our children will do more than reach for their dreams;
    they'll achieve them.
        Thanks for listening.

     Note:  The address was recorded at 12:59 p.m. on August 25 in the
    Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on August
    26. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on August 25 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast.