[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 4 (Monday, January 29, 2001)]
[Pages 221-223]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at Merritt Extended Elementary School

January 25, 2001

    It's always a good sign when the principal gets a standing ovation--
[laughter]--from teachers and parents. Having spent some quality time 
with you, I now understand why.
    First, Mr. Superintendent, thank you very much. Your reputation is a 
strong one because you believe every child can learn and are willing to 
work hard and make the tough

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decisions to make sure every child does learn in the District. Mr. 
Superintendent, thanks for coming.
    I am so pleased and honored that the chairman of the Senate 
Education Committee and the ranking minority leader, Senator Jeffords 
and Senator Kennedy are here; Chairman Boehner, Representative Miller 
came as well. You all did not have to come. And for you to come is not 
only a great honor for this school, but Laura and I really appreciate 
it.
    I'm also pleased the First Lady is here. I always used to say, you 
can always judge the nature of a man by the company he keeps. [Laughter] 
And I keep pretty darn good company--[laughter]--particularly when it 
comes to children and reading and education. She is a former public 
school librarian who loves children, who loves books, and has got the 
ability to combine the two. And I love her.
    Dr. Shannon, thanks for coming. Those of us who have been involved 
with public education know this irrefutable fact, that the quality of a 
school depends on the quality of a principal. That when you find a good 
principal, the CEO of a school, you'll find a school that achieves what 
we all want: every child learning.
    And there are some basic principles involved. One is to have 
leadership, not only at the district level but at the school level, set 
the highest of high standards. Leaders that understand that every child 
can learn and refuse to accept excuses when they don't. Dr. Shannon 
believes that way. She asked a question, ``Why aren't our children 
achieving?'' And when they begin to achieve, she raises the bar. That's 
what a leader does.
    Secondly, and the reason we've come to Merritt, besides getting out 
of the White House--[laughter]--is to herald what happens inside the 
walls here. And what happens here is there is a strong sense of 
accountability, which means there is a strong sense of the possible. 
Accountability is so important. And by accountability I mean testing 
children to determine whether or not children are learning. I believe 
it's the cornerstone of reform. I believe it's the essence of excellence 
in education, and I believe it's important to do so, to test every year, 
to make sure children are not left behind.
    I worry about a system that doesn't test, because I ask the 
question, like Dr. Shannon ask the question, ``How do you know if you 
don't?'' I worry about a system that periodically tests, because one 
year you may test, and everything is fine. In 4 years, you measure 
again, and all of a sudden something isn't fine, and you've missed 4 
years of opportunity to make sure a child doesn't slip behind.
    Accountability is important for students. It's important for--and I 
know students don't like to take tests, and I'm confident the parents 
here heard the same thing Laura and I heard when our daughters went to 
Austin High School, ``We're sick of tests.'' And my answer was, ``Well, 
I'm sorry you're sick of it, but we want to know.'' We, the adults, want 
to know whether or not you're learning, because if you're not, we expect 
something else to happen. So it's important for children to take tests 
so they can tell how they stand.
    It's important for parents. There's a lot of discussion about 
parental involvement. Senator Kennedy asked a very good question--how is 
parental involvement? I thought the principal gave a very good answer. 
But there's no better way to encourage parental involvement than to 
diagnose, on a child-by- child basis, where a child stands. There's no 
better way to get a parent's attention than for a principal to send the 
word, ``Well, we're having a little trouble with your child. We want 
your child to succeed.''
    The worst thing that can happen from a parent's perspective is there 
be no information. The worst thing that can happen is that the parent 
think everything is fine: ``Well, my child may have passed a test in the 
third grade, but there's been no measurement in the fourth, fifth, or 
sixth, so I will just assume as a parent that everything is fine, and 
then wake up and realize things aren't fine.'' To me, that's a shame 
when and if our systems do that to parents.
    And finally, measurement is important for management and teachers. 
First, I want to thank the teachers. Teaching is a noble profession. We 
need more teachers. And one of the jobs that Laura is going to take on--
and to a certain extent, I hope I can, too--

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is to encourage youngsters to become teachers. That means, of course, 
safe classrooms. It means making sure teachers can teach a curriculum 
that works.
    There's nothing better than combining the love of a teacher with the 
talent and tools necessary to be able to make sure children learn. But 
it also means convincing teachers of the importance and power of 
accountability. A good teacher welcomes accountability, because a good 
teacher understands that measurement is the kernel for success. A good 
teacher will be able to see in real stark terms the fruits of his or her 
labor. A good teacher is somebody who says, ``Give me a chance to 
succeed, and I can prove I can succeed.''
    There's a lot of people in our society who fear accountability. Dr. 
Shannon, when asked by one of the Members of the congressional 
delegation about accountability, she said, ``At first people were afraid 
of accountability.'' And I can understand that. If you haven't been held 
accountable, and all of a sudden somebody starts holding you 
accountable, it's going to create a certain sense of anxiety. But I 
suspect she'll testify to this fact, that once the accountability 
measures came in place, once people got used to what it meant to be 
accountable--that accountability is not a tool to punish but a tool to 
reward and a tool necessary to correct deficiencies; it's a positive 
tool; it's a positive application--then people begin to accept the 
importance of a strong measurement system.
    So we're here to applaud leadership and teachers, and we're here to 
applaud a school and a district that has got a vision, a vision of high 
standards and strong measurement systems; a school that not only 
measures, but when it finds deficiency, corrects; a school that 
recognizes an accountability will work when you view each child as a 
child, not as some group--part of a group. Accountability system says 
every child matters, and when we find a child deficient, we're going to 
correct.
    Some say, ``The accountability systems tend to restrict curriculum, 
that, oh, all the school will do is teach the test.'' This school proves 
that's not the case. This school focuses on basic education in reading 
and math. And by the way, they've got a fabulous curriculum for reading, 
one that works.
    But this school also is a school that enriches beyond the basics of 
reading and math. It's a school that's got a curriculum that is focused 
on basic education, but it's a school also that understands the 
importance of the arts. It's a school that broadens the horizons of the 
students.
    We're here to tout excellence and to thank--to thank the good folks 
in this institution, inside this building, who love our children and are 
willing to put their love into practice in a system that works.
    So, Dr. Shannon, thank you very much for having us. We're so honored 
to be here. Again, I want to thank the Members of the congressional 
delegation that came up, as well. It's a real treat to be able to walk 
around the halls of a successful school and, most importantly, be able 
to look children in the eye and wish them all the best, encourage them 
to go to college. But thanks for having us. It's our honor to be here.
    God bless.

Note: The President spoke at 10:30 a.m. in the multi-purpose room. In 
his remarks, he referred to Nancy R. Shannon, principal, Merritt 
Extended Elementary School; and Paul L. Vance, superintendent, District 
of Columbia Public Schools.