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Tony Snow Subject Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S; 1998-0002-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Snow, Tony, Files
Subseries:
Subject File, 1988-1993
OA/ID Number:
13892
Folder ID Number:
13892-004
Folder Title:
[America 2000]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
18
29
1
7
AMERICA 2000:
REVOLUTIONARY
"BUSINESS
TRANSFORMING IDEAS
CHANGE
AS USUAL"
Secretary allowed to waive regulations
on request for good reason
Flexibility for Teachers
and Principals
Covers more than 70 federal programs
and almost $11 billion
For all school districts, in all states
$545 million over three years for
Break-the-Mold
communities to create first 535 +
New American Schools
break-the-mold schools
No limitations on types of schools
Submitted by Governors to Secretary
guaranteeing truly break-the-mold
World Class Standards
Bi-partisan recommendations of National
and Voluntary National
Council on Education Standards and
Testing (NCEST)
Exams
Parental Choice
Help for middle and low-income families
of Schools
to have more choices of all schools,
public, private, religious
AMERICA
2000
NUMBER 23, WEEK OF MARCH 30, 1992
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
AMERICA 2000: One Year Later
by Lamar Alexander, U.S. Secretary of Education
AMERICA 2000 will have its first birthday April 18.
AMERICA 2000 helps give shape to an emerging
Just one year ago President Bush launched a strategy to help
education movement that will be for America in the 1990s
America, community by community, reach six ambitious
what the civil rights movement was in the 1960s.
National Education Goals by the turn of the century. The
3. World-class standards and new curriculum frame-
President and the nation's Governors had agreed on the goals
works-The National Council on Education Standards
after the education summit in Charlottesville.
and Testing and the National Education Goals Panel have
AMERICA 2000 has helped to establish a radical new
moved rapidly to help create a consensus about what
agenda for rethinking our educational system from top to
children should know and be able to do in order to live,
work and compete in today's world. The National
"AMERICA 2000 has helped to
Academy of Sciences is coordinating the development of
establish a radical new agenda
standards for the sciences; UCLA is coordinating history.
The work in English, geography, the arts and civics is
for rethinking our educational
about to begin. I see math teachers learning the new
system from top to bottom."
standards in virtually every school I visit. States-with
our help-are accelerating efforts to change curriculum
bottom, and the U.S. Department of Education has become
frameworks to incorporate these new world-class stan-
the sparkplug for that change.
dards.
AMERICA 2000 is not a seven-second soundbite and
4. American Achievement Tests-There is a new consen-
won't have instant results. Most of it is about helping
sus about the need for and the shape of a voluntary
Americans do things for themselves, in their own families,
national examination system so that parents and commu-
schools and hometowns.
nities can know how their schools and kids are doing. In
But there is new energy and a new agenda and an inevi-
just one year the question has become not whether to do
table sort of momentum developing. Here are some of the
it, but how best to do it.
most important things that have happened during this first
5. September Goals Report -In 1991, Governors and the
year:
Administration published the first annual September
1. More people saying "the Nation's at risk, so I may be,
too"-While not often on the front pages or at the top of
"AMERICA 2000 is about help-
the evening news, education is more often seen as the
ing Americans do things for
solution to what is at the top of the news. George Gallup
says Americans think nothing is more important for the
themselves, in their own families,
next 25 years than having the best education system in the
schools and hometowns."
world. Education has become the national worry.
2. AMERICA 2000 Communities-Led by both Demo-
Goals Report measuring the nation's and each state's
crat and Republican Governors, 43 states and more than
progress toward the six National Education Goals. Each
1,100 communities are mobilizing under the AMERICA
year these reports will be increasingly powerful engines
2000 banner to reach the six National Education Goals.
for change.
Over 86 of Maine's 184 communities are MAINE 2000
6. New American Schools-The New American Schools
communities. MEMPHIS 2000 has 800 persons working
Development Corporation formed, raised over $45
on task forces to find ways to reach the goals, develop
million, and received nearly 700 proposals from design
progress reports, and create a New American School.
See One Year Later, next page
teams that want to help communities create their own
"break-the-mold" schools. Minnesota has authorized the
One Year Later, continued
creation of deregulated charter schools, a sort of indepen-
dent public school. Other states, including California,
AK
Colorado, Connecticut, and Michigan, are considering
similar proposals.
A
7. More school options for parents-This year 10 more
states gave parents more choices of the schools their
children attend as a way to unleash competitive forces to
MT
improve all schools. The President proposed a half billion
Viag
NO
dollar program to help states create their own GI Bill for
Children, $1000 scholarships that would follow the
children of middle- and low-income families to any
OR
lawfully operating school.
CA
10
so
8. Flexibility for teachers-Ohio, Texas, and 12 other states
NV
NE
WY
"All the Governors of both parties
set the National Education Goals,
ut
and almost all are involved in the
CO
AZ
KS
NM
AMERICA 2000 partnership."
OK
have given state commissioners of education broad
authority to free from regulation schools that set high
goals and produce results. The President wants Congress
HI
to do the same with federal funds.
9. Money-Education is the President's No. 1 federal
budget priority, including record increases for Head Start,
AMERICAN
for grants and loans that help families pay for college, and
SAMOA
States on Board
for university research and development. Much of the
new funding proposals support the agenda for radical
change: New American Schools, standards and testing,
choices for families, flexibility.
10. A bi-partisan spirit-All the Governors of both parties
choices of schools. Yet the Congress cannot bring itself to
set the National Education Goals, and almost all are
support this much change.
involved in the AMERICA 2000 partnership. In turn,
STATE and COMMUNITY 2000 efforts include educa-
"And I am disappointed in the fail-
tors at every level because nothing will change in educa-
tion unless it changes inside the classroom.
ure, so far, to achieve the same bi-
Disappointments? I wish AMERICA 2000 had an hour on
partisan consensus with Congress
television every day, and two hours on radio to carry the
that we have with Governors."
message. After all, in the end what we are trying to do is to
help people rethink their attitudes and ways of doing things.
During the past year I have spent about half my days in
schools and communities helping to begin AMERICA 2000
"Disappointments? I wish
efforts. What I see is usually inspiring-families, students,
and teachers straining to fit out-dated school structures and
AMERICA 2000 had an hour on
community attitudes with a world that has changed dramati-
television every day, and two hours
cally:
Math teachers retraining to teach to vastly different
on radio to carry the message."
standards;
And I am disappointed in the failure, so far, to achieve the
Decatur, Georgia, raising $1 million a year to help
same bi-partisan consensus with Congress that we have with
children outside the schools SO they can learn while they
Governors. There have been a few important areas of
are inside;
cooperation. The National Council for Education Standards
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, opening all its elementary
and Testing included members of Congress. Congress
schools 12 hours a day and in the summer to fit needs of
appropriated $100 million for AMERICA 2000, but Con-
working families;
gress can't seem to agree on how to spend it. The President
In Minnesota, a kindergarten in a bank, a school in a
wants to give teachers more flexibility, to help communities
shopping mall, and a school for teenage mothers in a
create New American Schools, and to give families more
corporate headquarters;
Louisville, Kentucky, saving money by giving school
principals the right to acquire electrical services and air
conditioning somewhere other than the central mainte-
nance system;
Balderas School in Fresno, California, with evening
MERICA 2000: One Year Later
classes for Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian and Spanish-
speaking parents so those parents can understand what
their children are learning;
Hispanic first graders in the Bronx learning English on
MN
computers so they can improve their math scores.
Standards are higher. Children are growing up differently.
5
NY
School systems and ways of thinking are atrociously out of
MI
NH
date. And most adults are finding we need to go back to
school ourselves.
M
It is harder today to be a teacher, to be a student, to be a
IA
PA
OH
WV
DC
"The best way I can think of to
IN
IL
show the world the best in us is
MA
KY
MO
AMERICA 2000-a national
AR
NC
IN
SC
movement, community by commu-
nity, to create the best schools in
AL
GA
MS
the world for our children."
LA
parent. More of us are gradually realizing that radical change
in our schools, rather than business as usual, will be neces-
FL
PUERTO
RICO
sary if we are to reach the ambitious education goals by the
end of the century. And it is also dawning on more of us that
there will also have to be radical change in our attitudes
outside our schools, within our families and in our own
communities. Schools must become better, but that means
changing communities, too. It's hard for a school to be a
In Derry, New Hampshire, plans for a year-round school
better place than the community it serves.
that includes the Alan B. Shepard School of Math and
Our goals for this next year are to double the number of
Science;
AMERICA 2000 communities, to help those communities
succeed, to move ahead with world class standards and the
"Our goals for this next year are
national examination system, to launch the first wave of
to double the number of
design teams creating New Americans Schools, to push more
decision making into the hands of teachers and school
AMERICA 2000 communities, to
leaders, and to place more school choices into the hands of
help those communities succeed,
parents.
More than anything, we want to give more energy and
to move ahead with world class
visibility to the need for really radical change in our schools
standards and the national exami-
and in our attitudes toward education-all of which begins
with helping even more individuals come to their own
nation system, to launch the first
conclusion that "The Nation's at risk, so I might be, too."
wave of design teams creating
A few weeks ago Russia's new education minister came by
the U.S. Department of Education to learn about our schools.
New Americans Schools, to push
I said, "But we should learn from you as well. American
more decision making into the
eighth graders were 14th in math and 13th in science
scores-nearly last-in international comparisons last month.
hands of teachers and school
Russian children were ahead of ours."
leaders, and to place more school
He replied, "But you were not 13th in democracy."
Most of the world is now ready to try the American way of
choices into the hands of parents."
life, to follow our example. They know we have more
advantages than any other country. The best way I can think
Milwaukee, giving poor families more of the same
of to show the world the best in us is AMERICA 2000-a
choices of schools wealthier families already have, includ-
national movement, community by community, to create the
ing private schools;
best schools in the world for our children.
Forty-three states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and
The National Education Goals
more than 1,100 communities are mobilizing AMERICA 2000 initiatives.
State
Governor
Kickoff Date
ALABAMA
Guy Hunt (R)
October 31, 1991
1. All children in America will start
ALASKA
Walter Hickel (I)
October 17, 1991
school ready to learn.
AMERICAN SAMOA
Peter Coleman (R)
August 30, 1991
ARIZONA
Fife Symington (R)
December 12, 1991
ARKANSAS
Bill Clinton (D)
March, 18, 1992
2. The high school graduation rate
CALIFORNIA
Pete Wilson (R)
April 10, 1992
will increase to at least 90
COLORADO
Roy Romer (D)
June 17, 1991
percent.
DELAWARE
Michael Castle (R)
September 19, 1991
DIST. of COLUMBIA
Sharon Pratt Kelly (D)
December 19, 1991
3. American students will leave
GEORGIA
Zell Miller (D)
October 18, 1991
grades four, eight, and twelve
hawaii
John Waihee (D)
January 28, 1992
ILLINOIS
Jim Edgar (R)
February 11, 1992
having demonstrated compe-
INDIANA
Evan Bayh (D)
October 1, 1991
tency in challenging subject
IOWA
Terry Branstad (R)
October 27, 1991
matter including English, math-
KANSAS
Joan Finney (D)
October 29, 1991
ematics, science, history, and
LOUISIANA
Edwin Edwards (D)
September 9, 1991
geography; and every school in
MAINE
John McKernan (R)
September 3, 1991
America will ensure that all
MARYLAND
William Schaefer (D)
September 5, 1991
students learn to use their minds
MASSACHUSETTS
William Weld (R)
October 24, 1991
MICHIGAN
John Engler (R)
November 13, 1991
well, SO they may be prepared
MINNESOTA
Arne Carlson (R)
September 12, 1991
for responsible citizenship,
MISSISSIPPI
Kirk Fordice (R)
February 10, 1992
further learning, and productive
MISSOURI
John Ashcroft (R)
October 29, 1991
employment in our modern
MONTANA
Stan Stephens (R)
December 11, 1991
economy.
NEBRASKA
Ben Nelson (D)
September 5, 1991
NEVADA
Bob Miller (D)
March 9, 1992
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Judd Gregg (R)
December 17, 1991
4. U.S. students will be first in the
NEW JERSEY
James Florio (D)
April 13, 1992
world in science and mathemat-
NEW MEXICO
Bruce King (D)
October 7, 1991
ics achievement.
NORTH CAROLINA
James Martin (R)
September 27, 1991
NORTH DAKOTA
George Sinner (D)
To Be Scheduled
5. Every adult American will be
OHIO
George Voinovich (R)
November 25, 1991
literate and will possess the
OKLAHOMA
Dave Walters (D)
December 19, 1991
knowledge and skills necessary
OREGON
Barbara Roberts (D)
August 22, 1991
PENNSYLVANIA
Robert Casey (D)
October 18, 1991
to compete in a global economy
PUERTO RICO
R. Hernandez-Colon (PDP)
To Be Scheduled
and exercise the rights and
SOUTH DAKOTA
George Mickelson (R)
December 19, 1991
responsibilities of citizenship.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Carroll Campbell (R)
November 20, 1991
TENNESSEE
Ned McWherter (D)
October 25, 1991
6. Every school in America will be
TEXAS
Ann Richards (D)
March 5, 1992
free of drugs and violence and
UTAH
Norm Bangerter (R)
December 10, 1991
VERMONT
Howard Dean (D)
September 20, 1991
will offer a disciplined environ-
VIRGINIA
Douglas Wilder (D)
To Be Scheduled
ment conducive to learning.
WASHINGTON
Booth Gardner (D)
February 28, 1992
WISCONSIN
Tommy Thompson (R)
November 21, 1991
WYOMING
Mike Sullivan (D)
June 21, 1991
FIRST CLASS
AMERICA 2000
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
Permit NO. G-17
EDUCATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202--0498
POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
3 Legacies
shoet MUSIC
for Amaron brace
5 pillars.
at Imidiron?
6 goals.
4 tracks.
INDEX
7-93
Fed-State Fid State
why I've taken
Umer 2000
1.
What There Is To Decide.
is comm based.
why I enlished
2.
The Message.
Governard.
3.
"When I Think of America In the Year 2000
"
4.
What the President Can Be Doing and Saying About
Education.
5.
Arkansas 2000.
6.
AMERICA 2000 Newsletter -- Anniversary Addition.
1) NAS - 100 B deablem Apr. 1.
2) Choice - opp schols.
or Gl Bill I Billion or 1/2 billion ?
3)EdFlex. 12B federal dollars coverng 70 programs hands Fed.
4) Communbers?
or
Tests -
Apr.18-
Ama Ach. Testo
4th Graders - Sept. 1993
What there is to Decide
1. Congressional Strategy
A.
Agree on Message
B.
Meet with GOP Leaders
C.
Announce Message in a Speech (and repeat it often)
D.
By April 18, an America 2000 anniversary event: visit an
AMERICA 2000 Community (Omaha, San Antonio, Memphis, Las
Cruces, Richmond, a town in Maine, Houston)
2. Longer Term
A. 30 minutes on education every 10 days
?
B.
Coordinate message with speechwriting
C.
3 New Big Ideas
W
(1) State GI Bill for Children-Milwaukee
(2) The Armed Forces helping to create schools for
kids not making it in regular schools--Los Angeles
(3) $25,000 Lifetime learning line of credit for
education and job training--Midwestern State community college
D.
New American Schools: Sam Walton, Jack Phelan
The Message
I will not sign business as usual legislation for our schools.
We must have revolutionary changes if our children are going to
meet the six national education goals by the year 2000.
Almost a year ago, I outlined the America 2000 strategy to help our
country, community by community, reach the six ambitious national
education goals that all the nation's Governors and I--Democrats and
Republicans--had agreed upon.
The Governor have responded. At least 40 of them have already
launched America 2000 efforts in their states.
Communities have responded, more than 1000 of them--like San
Antonio 2000, Fresno 2000, Detroit 2000, Memphis 2000.
Educators and Governors are working harder on new academic
standards, on changing curriculum frameworks, on building a
voluntary national examination system, on new report cards that let
us know each year, state by state, community by community what
progress we're making toward these goals.
American business has responded by agreeing to raise $200 million
to fund creative design teams that will help communities create a
new generation of truly break-the-mold New American schools, the
best schools in the world, schools that meet the needs of kids the
way kids are growing up today.
700 teams of the most creative Americans have applied to become
the design teams that help communities create New American
Schools --including 120 universities, educators in more than 1000
schools, several hundred corporations of all sizes, 140 think tanks--
they all want to do one thing: help create the best schools in the
world.
America is determined to create the best schools in the world for
our children and grandchildren and I am determined to help do just
that.
"WHEN I THINK OF AMERICA IN THE YEAR 2000
[NOTE: This is about how to follow up and to actually make
happen what the President talked about in his excellent
February 12 campaign kick-off statement. It is a medium term
strategy focused upon the President's speech at the
convention as the defining moment
While a speech on March 20 might define the President's
current agenda and program versus the "business as usual"
Congress, what follows is different. It defines a longer
view of what kind of America we want, and how we should get
there. It might be mentioned in passing in response to the
March 20 deadline but should not be rushed.]
1.
The central thrust of the 1992 electorate.
a. Partly because of American success in beating
Communism abroad, and partly because of the speed
of change at home too (Technology, medicine, job
market, etc.) the 1992 election will be about the
future of America at home.
b. The recession accelerates the focus of our
attention to matters at home and it should be taken
seriously but it is only a traffic jam. It will
end. The question is where the road leads then.
C. The public will want the candidates (the President
included) to understand America and to point to
where the road goes -- what kind of America we
want, and how we should get there.
de In that sense the election is less a referendum on
the successful past than the first day of an
uncertain future. That might be dangerous for
leaders who have been around for awhile -- and a
chance for new faces who seen to be generational
change (Probably an explanation for early Clinton
success).
e. The people sense that our institutions need
renewal:
--our cities aren't what they should be.
--Something is wrong with our education system.
--Something is wrong with our health system.
--Big business seems to be indifferent to little
workers.
--Congress and Washington don't seem to work very
well.
--The people aren't sure about their jobs because
they're not sure their employers will survive
5 years.
--They're not sure their kids will get good jobs.
--They have no sense of what America will be like
in the year 2000.
f. The people don't need a complete and detailed road
map but they want to know what their leadership has
in mind.
2.
Leadership for the future is best shown not talked
about -- shown through involvement, commitment. Words,
speeches, bills alone may not do it.
a. It may be very important for the President to seem
as engaged in and by domestic issues as foreign.
When the words seem words only while his heart/mind
are overseas, it may hurt. The people want to know
he cares.
b. The key may be consecutive time -- few highly
visible interruptions for foreign things -- and
truly engaging the President's attention over a
long enough period to get his mind fully into it.
His schedule needs to assure him private quality
time to talk with people about the future of the
country,
--The Cabinet can be asked to fill in the
following: "When I think of America in the year
2000. Attachment A is an example of what
the President might say about education as he
thinks of America in the year 2000.
--A series of great American thinkers might spend
individual quality time with the President --
asked to the White House to share with him
their thoughts about "When I think of America in
the year 2000
=
2
--He might ask himself and all around him, in every
meeting, on every subject: "What does this mean
for America in the year 2000?"
--He might instruct every speechwriter to include
the concept in every speech: "When I think of
America in the year 2000 The process is to
impose the discipline upon everyone to think in
those terms.
C. Leadership about the future need not be
comprehensive. The people don't expect an answer
for everything. But they do want to see that their
President understands the questions, has some
answers, and is looking for more.
3. One vehicle, the America 2000 Communities, already
exists as one example of how to think about many of
these subjects.
4. A relevant campaign year calendar might look like this:
a. From now until the late Spring/early Summer might
be a good time to engage in the quiet consecutive
time meetings with Cabinet and outsiders on what
America in the year 2000 will be like.
--The Democrats will be pre-occupied with their own
primary mess.
--The immediate public focus is appropriately on
the short-term economic plan to end the recession
(the "Traffic jam")
b. If some things leak out about great thinkers asked
to the White House to talk about America in the
year 2000, that's OK, probably good. After all.
the most important thing the President should be
doing is getting his thoughts together for exactly
how to make the most of a second term. Although it
really should not be done for PR but to help focus
on the job ahead.
c. Come early Summer he should start to use the line
repeatedly on all domestic subjects -- in most
speeches, regardless of the subject: "When I think
of America in the year 2000.
3
d. The objective of the exercise should be to select
no more than 5 areas which address and symbolize
American concerns for today as well as for
tomorrow. The product itself (goals, strategy and
assessment) must be designed to provide assurance
that the American ship of state is not rudderless
and that future unknown problems will also be
solved with effective leadership.
e. The Convention acceptance speech is the right
moment to launch it in a campaign speech. It
should be a knock-em-dead speech about the America
we can be -- optimistic -- uplifting -- with
confidence in the future and excitement in getting
there: Here is the America I see in the year 2000
-- and here's how we can get there.
f. This is less a definition of Democratic weakness
than it is a reason to re-elect a Republican
President. It leaves plenty of room to criticize
the Democrats, but from a position of maximum
strength.
g. Everything in the campaign -- and in the
President's schedule -- would re-emphasize his
upbeat commitment to the future: All scheduling,
all advertising, all campaign materials, all
speeches, all releases (campaign or White House).
h. It would be less a referendum on the past than
seeking a mandate for the future. (The specifics
of the mandate are less important than the public's
awareness that the President not only thinks about
the future but has an exciting concept of it and
how to get there. He will thus get support from
many who might disagree on the specifics but are
thrilled by the leadership.)
i. The beginning point might be a schedule like this:
--Consult with Skinner and Teeter by 3/10
--Small group (2-5) put draft plan together by 3/17
--Plan ready for the President by 3/18 (meet that
week).
4
Attachment A.
When I think of America in the Year 2000-Education
When I think of America in the year 2000--I think of schools,
colleges and universities that are the best in the world.
Instead of a nation at risk I think of America as a nation of
students.
To accomplish that we must make revolutionary changes in our
schools and in our attitudes about our educational responsibilities
at home.
Business-as-usual has no chance whatever of getting us where
we must go.
That is why we have worked with Governors to create six such
ambitious national education goals. This is the first time in our
nation's history America has had such goals.
That is why we are working so hard on the America 2000
strategy to implement these goals, community-by-community.
This is an agenda for radical change:
--working with educators to create world class standards in
math, science, English, history and geography;
--helping states build new curriculum frameworks;
--moving ahead on a voluntary national examination system so
parents and communities can know how their children and schools
are doing;
--beginning a period of massive teacher retraining and of
parents and communities re-examining their own responsibilities
toward children.
I have challenged America to create an entirely new
generation of "break-the-mold" New American schools, to literally
start from scratch and create the best schools in the world.
America has responded. Hundreds of communities are
rethinking their schools and their responsibilities from top to
bottom. Business has responded by agreeing to raise $200 million to
create design teams to help those communities create New American
schools. And 700 of the most creative teams in America are
competing to be among those design teams.
I have challenged every American city, town and village to
become an America 2000 community: to adopt the six national
goals, to find their own way to reach them, to create a report card
to measure their progress, and to create at least one new American
school.
America has responded. In less than a year 40 states and
more than 1000 communities are hard at work on their American
2000 activities.
I have challenged Congress to give teachers more flexibility in
spending federal money and to help communities create New
American Schools.
I have challenged Congress to give families more choices of
schools, to give teachers more flexibility, to help states create
world class standards, new curriculum frameworks and a national
examination system.
Congress has been thinking about my challenges now for
nearly a year and is about to send (has sent) me a billion dollars
worth of business-as-usual legislation.
But I am not going to let Congress authorize spending one
billion new dollars on business as usual and pretend that it is real
education reform.
Business as usual and more of the same will not help us reach
our dream of creating the best education system in the world by the
turn of the century.
We must have revolutionary change.
That means ambitious goals, America 2000 communities,
world-class standards and a national examination system--it means
break-the mold New Americans Schools, more flexibility for
classroom teachers, and opportunity scholarships that give middle
and low income families more choices of schools.
And it means spending the money we are now spending more
wisely--as well as making new investments at all levels--to make
these revolutionary changes real.
I am glad to put new money into education. I think of education
as an investment in our future.
My new budget puts more new dollars into education than into
any other department. Federal spending for education has been going
up faster than state and local spending while I have been President.
The budget has record increases for head start and for helping
families pay for college. It has a half billion new federal dollars to
create opportunity scholarships and another half billion over three
years for New American schools. It allocates $2.1 billion to math
and science education with a new focus on teacher retraining.
This year I have also challenged Congress to create one million
$1000 "opportunity scholarships" that will give middle and low
income families more of the same choices of all schools that
wealthy people have always had. "Opportunity scholarships" will
mean new federal dollars to help states do for elementary and high
school students what the federal government did for veterans with
the GI Bill and what the federal government does today with Pell
Grants to help students pay for college costs. These "opportunity"
scholarships would mean fairness to middle and low-income
families, would put new federal money into schools that serve our
children who need the most help, and would unleash powerful
competitive forces to help make all schools better.
When I think of education in America in the year 2000 1 think
of all of our children arriving at school ready to learn, of at least 90
per cent of our children graduating from high schools, of all children
learning at least math, science, history, English and geography to a
standard so that they can live work and compete with children in
every part of the world. I think of our children working hard to
become first in the world in math and science. I think of working
Americans literate and skilled so that they can have and keep good
jobs. I think of schools that are drug and violence free.
I can think of no crusade that will bring out the best in this
wonderful country better than this America 2000 crusade, a crusade
community-by community to make certain that when the next
century comes, America is a nation of students and that those
students have the best education system in the world.
And every indication is that the only kind of legislation
Congress will
send to me is warmed over business as usual legislation, more
money for more of the same.
I want Congress to know this: I will not sign business
as usual legislation for our schools.
The American education system needs revolutionary
change, not more of the same.
Just because it is an election year, I will not sign
business as usual legislation that pretends to be education
reform. That will not help us create the best schools in
the world. That will not help our children move fast
enough toward our six ambitious education goals. That
will not create the kind of America we want by the year
2000.
Congress must give teachers more flexibility, help
communities create truly break-the-mold New American
Schools, help states create world class standards and new
curriculum frameworks and a voluntary national
examination system. And, as a matter of simple fairness,
Congress should give middle and low income families more
of the same choices of schools that families with money
already have.
And while Congress is at it there is a good deal more that it
can do-
--increase head-start funding so that it will be available to
every four year old;
--give families help paying for college by increasing college
scholarships by more than $1 billion, making student loans
deductible from income taxes, make it possible to use retirement
accounts for education costs without penalty;
--help working people by giving every American a $25,000
lifetime learning line of credit for education and job training and by
making those who can only take one course at a time eligible for
federal grants and loans;
--create Governor's Academies for Teachers of math, science,
English, history and geography in every state and increase support
for retraining math and science teachers;
--make it easier for Americans in mid career to enter
teaching;
This costs money. I am ready to spend more money:
--my new budget has more new discretionary dollars for
education than for any other department; federal spending for
education has been rising faster than state spending while I have
been President.
--while I have President head-start spending will have gone
gone up 127 per cent while the federal budget has increased only 25
per cent;
P
--I have asked for half billion new federal dollars to help
states create
a state or local GI Bill for Kids. That is a half million new 1000
scholarships for middle and low income families to spend at the
school of their choice. It would affect every family making less
than $40,000 per year in a participating school district.
--I have asked for a half billion new federal dollars over three
years for the first 500 new American Schools.
But money alone is not the answer. America already spends
nearly as much per student on elementary and secondary education
as any country in the world.
Rethinking from top to bottom our schools and our attitudes
about education and our children is the answer.
When I think of America in the year 2000 I think of America as
a nation of students--students of all ages--lucky enough to live in a
country that has provided for them the best schools, colleges and
universities in the world.
Most of what must be done can't be done in Washington. It must
happen community, community, school by school, family by family.
But Congress can help. And one year ago, I asked to
Congress to do just that--to join America's effort to
change our education system from top to bottom, and to
help America create the best schools in the world for our
children.
Specifically, I asked Congress:
--to give teachers more flexibility in their
classrooms spending federal money;
--to give communities help in creating break-the-
mold, New American schools;
--to give middle and low income families more of the
same choices of schools that families with money already
have
--and to help state leaders and educators create
world-class standards so we can agree on what our
children know and can do, to build new curriculum
frameworks that will move those standards to the
classrooms, and to construct a national voluntary
examination system--a system of American Achievement
Tests-- so that we can tell whether our schools and our
children are meeting these standards.
This is urgent business.
There is no more important enterprise in this country than a
community by community movement to create the best schools in the
world for our children by the year 2000.
It has been a year now. Congress has not responded.
Congress has missed my March 20 deadline.
Congress has even missed its own April 1st deadline, one it
set for coming up with legislation to spend $100 million that it
appropriated for America 2000.
1. Getting the talk right -- Let speechwriters turn the attached
policy into a few paragraphs of rhetoric and use it over and over
and over again: "When I think of America in the year 2000 I think
of a nation of students educating ourselves throughout our
lifetimes at the best system of schools, colleges and universities
in the world. This will take revolutionary changes. Business as
usual will not help us reach our six ambitious national education
goals."
2. Prepare for Second Term -- The President hosts small one hour
private sessions every 10 days to talk about and get comfortable
with his second term plans for education and how he should go about
talking about this to the American people.
WHERE THE PRESIDENT GOES AND WHAT HE SAYS -- The President should
seize the initiative on education, make it his by a sustained
series of public appearances that make clear his agenda, where he
thinks the nation ought to go, what it ought to do in order to
become a nation of students educating ourselves at the best system
of schools, colleges and universities in the world. All of the
following ideas are either approved and part of the budget, or are
now being worked out with OMB.
1. Draw the line with Congress -- The President should
invite bipartisan congressional leaders to the White
House immediately (before April 1). Tell them: "I won't
sign business as usual legislation for our schools. We
need revolutionary changes if our children are going to
meet the six national education goals by the year 2000.
That means support for world class standards, new
curriculum frameworks and a voluntary national
examination system. It means giving teachers more
opportunity for training and more flexibility spending
federal funds in their classrooms, giving communities
help in creating truly break-the-mold New American
Schools, and giving middle- and low-income families more
of the same choices of schools for their children that
wealthy families already have."
1
2. A bold Republican initiative for working Americans
-- Invite Republican congressional leaders to the White
House. Let them tell the President about their amendment
to the higher education bill. They will say: "Let's
create a $25,000 lifetime line of credit for education
and job training for every American which can be paid
back out of earnings collected by the IRS. This will
give working men and women and their children a better
chance for a better job and a better life." The
President can offer his support and use this for the rest
of the year.
3. Drawing the line with Congress again -- When
Congress does not act by March 20 and the April 1
deadline for authorizing the use of $100 million
appropriated for AMERICA 2000 passes, criticize the
Congress: "Congress has missed not only my deadline but
its own deadline. Worse than that, all Congress is
thinking about passing is more of the same, business as
usual. We need revolutionary changes: world-class
standards and a voluntary national examination system;
training and flexibility for teachers; break-the-mold New
American Schools; more choices of schools for families."
4. Celebrate the first birthday of AMERICA 2000 (April
18) -- Celebrate the first anniversary of AMERICA 2000 by
making one or two visits the week before to cities
working hard to become an AMERICA 2000 community (e.g.:
Omaha, Memphis, Las Cruces, etc.). "Forty states, led by
Governors of both parties -- more than 1000 communities
-- have accepted my challenge to become AMERICA 2000
communities. This is how America will create the best
system of schools in the world by the turn of the
century, community-by-community. This is how we can help
our children reach the six ambitious national education
goals we established in Charlottesville in 1989."
Another visit in May to Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Chamber of Commerce Community Education Summit -- (May
22) Major POTUS address on education. Organizers expect
"thousands" of citizens attending. Community has made a
strong commitment to AMERICA 2000 and made rapid strides
on standards and testing. Trip should include visit to
Johnson C. Smith University's Kiddie Kollege.
5. World Class Standards and Testing -- Go to Nashville
on April 3-4 (or videoconference) to address 15,000 math
teachers: "You are one more reason for America to value
its teachers. You led the way. You got out in front,
established clear and high standards for what our
children should know and be able to do about math. We
are working together to create voluntary American
2
Achievement Tests so parents and communities can know how
their kids and schools are doing. We want them to be
able to live, work and compete with kids growing up in
Seoul, Tokyo and Berlin.'
6. "Opportunity Scholarships" -- Go to Milwaukee, check
on the progress of Polly Williams and Gov. Thompson's
program to help poor families attend private schools: "I
have included in my new budget a half billion dollars to
?
math?
create one million new thousand dollar scholarships for
children of middle- and low-income families. The only
restriction would be that families be able to use this
scholarship at any lawfully operating school. This is
fair to families, will put money into the schools that
help children who need the most help, and will unleash
competitive forces that will make all schools better. It
is federal support for a kind of state or local GI Bill
for Kids. It is, in effect, a Pell grant for elementary
and high school students. It will help to create the
best system of elementary and high schools in the world
just as the GI Bill and Pell grants have helped to create
the best system of colleges and universities in the
world. For Houston, for example, this would be $100
million new federal dollars into the hands of middle- and
low-income families to be spent in the schools that serve
their children.
"
7. New American Schools -- Go to almost any city, visit
a break-the-mold school with Ted Sizer, or Jim Comer, or
Hank Levin. "We must rethink our schools from top to
bottom. We must break the mold, make revolutionary
changes, invent schools that meet the needs of children
the way children are growing up today. More than 700 of
the most creative teams in America are competing for the
$200 million that the New American Schools Development
Corporation will be giving to design teams that will in
turn help communities everywhere create a new generation
of new American schools, the best schools in the world."
8. Head Start and Parental Responsibility -- Go to
National Meeting of Elementary School Principals in New
1,000,000,000
Orleans, April 31: "We know Head Start helps. That is
why I have pushed for a 127 percent increase in funding
for Head Start during my four years while the federal
budget as a whole was going up only 25 percent.
Beginning next year Head Start will be available for
every four-year-old. But, in the end, it is the parent
who must make certain the child is born healthy, loved,
read to, listened to, cared for. The family makes a
difference. Every teacher knows this.
3
9. Flexibility -- Meet with teachers anywhere about
this: "I can't think of a better example of the
difference between what Washington thinks and what
America thinks about this. I have yet to meet a teacher
who does not think that she and her colleagues could not
help children more if they had more flexibility in the
way they spend the $12 billion in more than 70 federal
elementary and secondary programs. Yet Congress won't
move. I think everybody against the idea of giving
teachers more flexibility in the classroom must live in
Washington, D.C."
10. Retraining Teachers -- Go to a Teachers or
Principals Academy, lots of places: "One thing is
certain -- if we are going to have new world-class
standards, and different curriculum frameworks, and New
American Schools, if we are going to expect so much more
of our children we must be prepared for a period of
massive retraining of teachers. That is why I have
recommended that Congress provide funds to begin
Governors Academies for teachers of math, science,
English, history and geography in every state. That is
why we have refocused $2.1 billion of federal math and
science education programs on teacher retraining."
11. Education and Job Training for working Americans and
their Children -- Go to any community college, or to the
national convention of community colleges in Phoenix on
April 12 (or videoconference) : "When I think of America
in the year 2000, I think of a nation of students,
Americans of all ages, throughout their lifetimes
educating themselves in the best system of schools,
colleges and universities in the world. This means we
must give working men and women and their children a
$25,000 lifetime line of credit for education and job
training which may be paid back from earnings collected
by the IRS. It means we should let the working mother,
who can only take one class at a time while she is
working and managing her family, be eligible for our
federal grants and loans to continue her education."
12. The Armed Forces helping to create the best schools
in the world -- The President should take Cheney and
Alexander to a conference in Los Angeles, direct them to
implement a plan for how the armed forces can work with
Los Angeles and other school districts to create schools
for kids that aren't making it in regular schools: "If
we can put missiles down smokestacks, we can create the
best schools in the world for our children. As we cut
back on military spending, we should take some of this
brain power, equipment and dollars to help our cities
with some of their toughest educational problems."
4
13. Colleges and Universities -- Commencement address:
"We have the best system of colleges and universities in
the world. We are the world grand champions of science
and technology. That is why I have recommended record
levels of R&D spending. That is why I have recommended
record increases in federal funds to help families pay
for college costs. That is why I have recommended
letting students deduct from their federal taxes the
interest on student loans and to withdraw money without
penalty from their IRAs for education. Today one of
every two four-year-college students has a federal grant
or loan to help pay college costs. We must use the
principles that have helped to create the best system of
colleges and universities in the world to help to create
the best elementary and high schools in the world by the
turn of the century."
14 Design Teams -- In mid to late June the New American
Schools Development Corporation will announce the 20-30
award winners from the nearly 700 design teams who
submitted bids. The President should meet with a few of
these teams, perhaps at the proposed geographical
yes.
location of the school and speak with them about their
winning "break-the-mold" ideas.
cc: Richard Darman
Ede Holiday
Clayton Yuetter
5
STATE OF ARKANSAS
STATE 1371; ARKANSAS
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Bill Clinton
State Capitol
Governor
Little Rock 72201
March 18, 1992
Dr. Sam Wilson
Secretary's Regional Representative
United States Department of Education
1200 Main Tower Building, Room 2125
Dallas, TX 75202
Dear Sam:
This letter is to announce Arkansas 2000. In joining
with the America 2000 initiative, Arkansas will
continue its education revolution that we began a
decade ago with the adoption of state school
standards- a crusade that encourages the involvement
of our communities in the education of all its
citizens.
In joining this national effort, I challenge and
encourage every community in Arkansas to move toward
reaching the six National Education Goals by the
year 2000.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Rris Chican
Bill Clinton
BC:rdd
Post-It™ brand fax transmittal memo 7671
of pages
/
:
John CRisP
"SAM P. Wilson
Co.
Co. Rag. VI
Dept.
Phone
729-3626
Pax #
Fax #
WH1-1971
727.3634
DRAFT
AMERICA
2000
NUMBER 23. WEEK OF MARCH 30. 1992
U.S. DEPARTMENTOR FDI CATION
AMERICA 2000: One Year Later
by Lamar Alexander, U.S. Secretary of Education
AMERICA 2000 will have its first birthday April 18.
AMERICA 2000 helps give shape to an emerging
Just one year ago President Bush launched a strategy to help
education movement that will be for America in the 1990s
America, community by community, reach six ambitious
what the civil rights movement was in the 1960s.
National Education Goals by the turn of the century. The
3. World-class standards and new curriculum frame-
President and the nation's Governors had agreed on the goals
works-The National Council on Education Standards
after the education summit in Charlottesville.
and Testing and the National Education Goals Panel have
AMERICA 2000 has helped to establish a radical new
moved rapidly to help create a consensus about what
agenda for rethinking our educational system from top to
children should know and be able to do in order to live,
work and compete in today's world. The National
"AMERICA 2000 has helped to
Academy of Sciences is coordinating the development of
establish a radical new agenda
standards for the sciences; UCLA is coordinating history.
The work in English. geography, the arts and civics is
for rethinking our educational
about to begin. I see math teachers learning the new
system from top to bottom"
standards in virtually every school I visit. States-with
our help-are accelerating efforts to change curriculum
bottom, and the U.S. Department of Education has become
frameworks to incorporate these new world-class stan-
the sparkplug for that change.
dards.
AMERICA 2000 is not a seven-second soundbite and
4. American Achievement Tests-There is a new consen-
won't have instant results. Most of it is about helping
sus about the need for and the shape of a voluntary
Americans do things for themselves, in their own families,
national examination system so that parents and commu-
schools and hometowns.
nities can know how their schools and kids are doing. In
But there is new energy and a new agenda and an inevi-
just one year the question has become not whether to do
table sort of momentum developing. Here are some of the
it, but how best to do it.
most important things that have happened during this first
5. September Goals Report -In 1991, Governors and the
year:
Administration published the first annual September
1. More people saying "the Nation's at risk, so I may be,
too"-While not often on the front pages or at the top of
"AMERICA 2000 is about help-
the evening news, education is more often seen as the
ing Americans do things for
solution to what is at the top of the news. George Gallup
says Americans think nothing is more important for the
themselves, in their own families,
next 25 years than having the best education system in the
schools and hometowns."
world. Education has become the national worry.
2. AMERICA 2000 Communities-Led by both Demo-
Goals Report measuring the nation's and each state's
crat and Republican Governors, 42 States and more than
progress toward the six National Education Goals. Each
1,100 communities are mobilizing under the AMERICA
year these reports will be increasingly powerful engines
2000 banner to reach the six National Education Goals.
for change.
Over 86 of Maine's 184 communities are MAINE 2000
6. New American Schools-The New American Schools
communities. MEMPHIS 2000 has 800 persons working
Development Corporation formed, raised over $45
on task forces to find ways to reach the goals, develop
million, and received nearly 700 proposals from design
progress reports, and create a New American School.
See One Year Later, next page
DRAFT
Louisville, Kentucky, saving money by giving school
principals the right to acquire electrical services and air
conditioning somewhere other than the central mainte-
nance system;
ERICA 2000: One Year Later
Balderas School in Fresno, California, with evening
classes for Hmong, Cambodian, Laotian and Spanish-
speaking parents so those parents can understand what
their children are learning;
MI
Hispanic first graders in the Bronx learning English on
MN
computers so they can improve their math scores.
Standards are higher. Children are growing up differently.
NY
School systems and ways of thinking are atrociously out of
MI
NM
date. And most adults are finding we need to go back to
school ourselves.
WI
It is harder today to be a teacher, to be a student, to be a
1A
-
OH
wv
oc
"The best way I can think of to
IN
IL
VA
show the world the best in us is
KY
MO
AMERICA 2000-a national
AR
NC
TN
SC
movement, community by commu-
nity, to create the best schools in
AL
GA
MS
the world for our children."
LA
parent. More of us are gradually realizing that radical change
in our schools, rather than business as usual, will be neces-
FL
PUERTO
RICO
sary if we are to reach the ambitious education goals by the
end of the century. And it is also dawning on more of us that
there will also have to be radical change in our attitudes
outside our schools, within our families and in our own
communities. Schools must become better, but that means
changing communities, too. It's hard for a school to be a
In Derry, New Hampshire, plans for a year-round school
better place than the community it serves.
that includes the Alan B. Shepard School of Math and
Our goals for this next year are to double the number of
Science;
AMERICA 2000 communities, to help those communities
succeed, to move ahead with world class standards and the
"Our goals for this next year are
national examination system, to launch the first wave of
to double the number of
design teams creating New Americans Schools, to push more
decision making into the hands of teachers and school
AMERICA 2000 communities, to
leaders, and to place more school choices into the hands of
help those communities succeed,
parents.
More than anything, we want to give more energy and
to move ahead with world class
visibility to the need for really radical change in our schools
standards and the national exami-
and in our attitudes toward education-all of which begins
with helping even more individuals come to their own
nation system, to launch the first
conclusion that "The Nation's at risk, so I might be, too."
wave of design teams creating
A few weeks ago Russia's new education minister came by
the U.S. Department of Education to learn about our schools.
New Americans Schools, to push
I said, "But we should learn from you as well. American
more decision making into the
eighth graders were 14th in math and 13th in science
scores-nearly last-in international comparisons last month.
hands of teachers and school
Russian children were ahead of ours."
leaders, and to place more school
He replied, "But you were not 13th in democracy.'
Most of the world is now ready to try the American way of
choices into the hands of parents."
life, to follow our example. They know we have more
advantages than any other country. The best way I can think
Milwaukee, giving poor families more of the same
of to show the world the best in us is AMERICA 2000-a
choices of schools wealthier families already have, includ-
national movement, community by community, to create the
ing private schools;
best schools in the world for our children.
DRAFT
teams that want to help communities create their own
One Year Later, continued
"break-the-mold" schools. Minnesota has authorized the
creation of deregulated charter schools, a sort of indepen-
dent public school. Other states, including California,
AK
Colorado, Connecticut, and Michigan, are considering
similar proposals.
1. More school options for parents-This year 10 more
states gave parents more choices of the schools their
children attend as a way to unleash competitive forces to
MI
improve all schools. The President proposed a half billion
Mat
NO
dollar program to help states create their own GI Bill for
Children, $1000 scholarships that would follow the
children of middle- and low-income families to any
OR
lawfully operating school.
C4
D
so
NV
8. Flexibility for teachers-Ohio, Texas, and 12 other states
ME
WY
"All the Governors of both parties
set the national education goals,
VI
CO
and almost all are involved in the
AZ
KS
NM
AMERICA 2000 partnership."
have given state commissioners of education broad
authority to free from regulation schools that set high
goals and produce results. The President wants Congress
to do the same with federal funds.
9. Money-Education is the President's No. 1 federal
budget priority, including record increases for Head Start,
AMERICAN
States on Board
SAMOA
for grants and loans that help families pay for college, and
for university research and development. Much of the
new funding proposals support the agenda for radical
change: New American Schools, standards and testing,
choices for families, flexibility.
10. A bi-partisan spirit-All the Governors of both parties
choices of schools. Yet the Congress cannot bring itself to
set the National Education Goals, and almost all are
support this much change.
involved in the AMERICA 2000 partnership. In turn,
STATE and COMMUNITY 2000 efforts include educa-
"And I am disappointed in the fail-
tors at every level because nothing will change in educa-
tion unless it changes inside the classroom.
ure, so far, to achieve the same bi-
Disappointments? I wish AMERICA 2000 had an hour on
partisan consensus with Congress
television every day, and two hours on radio to carry the
that we have with Governors."
message. After all, in the end what we are trying to do is to
help people rethink their attitudes and ways of doing things.
During the past year I have spent about half my days in
schools and communities helping to begin AMERICA 2000
"Disappointments? I wish
efforts. What I see is usually inspiring-families, students,
AMERICA 2000 had an hour on
and teachers straining to fit out-dated school structures and
community attitudes with a world that has changed dramati-
television every day, and two hours
cally:
on radio to carry the message."
Math teachers retraining to teach to vastly different
standards;
And I am disappointed in the failure, so far, to achieve the
Decatur, Georgia, raising $1 million a year to help
same bi-partisan consensus with Congress that we have with
children outside the schools so they can learn while they
Governors. There have been a few important areas of
are inside;
cooperation. The National Council for Education Standards
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, opening all its elementary
"nd Testing included members of Congress. Congress
schools 12 hours a day and in the summer to fit needs of
propriated $100 million for AMERICA 2000, but Con-
working families;
gress can't seem to agree on how to spend it. The President
In Minnesota, a kindergarten in a bank, a school in a
wants to give teachers more flexibility, to help communities
shopping mall, and a school for teenage mothers in a
create New American Schools, and to give families more
corporate headquarters;
DRAFT
The National Education Goals
Forty-two states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and
more than 1,100 communities are mobilizing AMERICA 2000 initiatives.
State
Governor
Kickoff Date
ALABAMA
1. All children in America will start
Guy Hunt (R)
October 31, 1991
ALASKA
Walter Hickel (I)
October 17, 1991
school ready to learn.
AMERICAN SAMOA
Peter Coleman (R)
August 30, 1991
ARIZONA
Fife Symington (R)
December 12, 1991
2. The high school graduation rate
ARKANSAS
Bill Clinton (D)
March. 18, 1992
will increase to at least 90
CALIFORNIA
Pete Wilson (R)
April 10, 1992
percent.
COLORADO
Roy Romer (D)
June 17, 1991
DELAWARE
Michael Castle (R)
September 19. 1991
DIST. of COLUMBIA
3. American students will leave
Sharon Pratt Kelly (D)
December 19, 1991
GEORGIA
Zell Miller (D)
October 18, 1991
grades four, eight, and twelve
HAWAII
John Waihee (D)
January 28, 1992
having demonstrated compe-
ILLINOIS
Jim Edgar (R)
February 11, 1992
tency in challenging subject
INDIANA
Evan Bayh (D)
October 1, 1991
matter including English, math-
IOWA
Terry Branstad (R)
October 27, 1991
ematics, science, history, and
KANSAS
Joan Finney (D)
October 29, 1991
LOUISIANA
geography; and every school in
Edwin Edwards (D)
September 9, 1991
MAINE
America will ensure that all
John McKernan (R)
September 3, 1991
MARYLAND
William Schaefer (D)
September 5, 1991
students learn to use their minds
MASSACHUSETTS
William Weld (R)
October 24, 1991
well, so they may be prepared
MICHIGAN
John Engler (R)
November 13, 1991
for responsible citizenship,
MINNESOTA
Arne Carlson (R)
September 12, 1991
further learning, and productive
MISSISSIPPI
Kirk Fordice (R)
February 10. 1992
employment in our modern
MISSOURI
John Ashcroft (R)
October 29, 1991
MONTANA
Stan Stephens (R)
economy.
December 11, 1991
NEBRASKA
Ben Nelson (D)
September 5, 1991
NEVADA
Bob Miller (D)
March 9, 1992
4. U.S. students will be first in the
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Judd Gregg (R)
December 17, 1991
world in science and mathemat-
NEW JERSEY
James Florio (D)
April 13, 1992
ics achievement.
NORTH CAROLINA
James Martin (R)
September 27, 1991
NORTH DAKOTA
George Sinner (D)
To Be Scheduled
5. Every adult American will be
OHIO
George Voinovich (R)
November 25, 1991
OKLAHOMA
literate and will possess the
Dave Walters (D)
December 19, 1991
OREGON
Barbara Roberts (D)
knowledge and skills necessary
August 22, 1991
PENNSYLVANIA
Robert Casey (D)
October 18, 1991
to compete in a global economy
PUERTO RICO
R. Hernandez-Colon (PDP)
To Be Scheduled
and exercise the rights and
SOUTH DAKOTA
George Mickelson (R)
December 19, 1991
responsibilities of citizenship.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Carroll Campbell (R)
November 20, 1991
TENNESSEE
Ned McWherter (D)
October 25, 1991
6. Every school in America will be
TEXAS
Ann Richards (D)
March 5, 1992
UTAH
free of drugs and violence and
Norm Bangerter (R)
December 10, 1991
VERMONT
Howard Dean (D)
will offer a disciplined environ-
September 20, 1991
VIRGINIA
Douglas Wilder (D)
To Be Scheduled
ment conducive to learning.
WASHINGTON
Booth Gardner (D)
February 28, 1992
WISCONSIN
Tommy Thompson (R)
November 21, 1991
WYOMING
Mike Sullivan (D)
June 21, 1991
New American Schools (NAS)
"The centerpiece of our National Education Strategy is not a program,
it's not a test. It's a challenge: to reinvent American education-to
design New American Schools for the year 2000 and beyond.'
-George Bush, April 18, 1991.
What are they?
New American Schools would reflect the best of what is known about teaching,
learning, and educational technologies and would enable all students to meet World
Class Standards of achievement in at least five core subject areas: English, math,
science, history and geography. This bill would provide seed money for the creation of
the first wave of these break-the-mold schools.
Why do we need them?
Reforms of the 1980s were too slow and too timid To meet the six National Education
Goals set by the President and the Governors, we need to enter the 21st century with a
new generation of American schools-schools that are not just improved but uniquely
American and the best in the world.
Who will create them, and how?
It begins with communities. The President has challenged every city, town, and
neighborhood in the country to become an AMERICA 2000 Community by doing four
things:
1. Adopt the six National Education Goals.
It
2. Develop a community-wide strategy to meet them.
3. Design a report card to measure progress.
4. Plan for and support a break-the-mold New American School.
The fourth part of the challenge, to "plan for and support" a NAS, begins with the
community deciding that its schools are not good enough and asking a question: if the
schools we have today did not exist, what would we create in their place? Answering
that question means examining curriculum, staffing, technology, community resources,
rules and regulations, and more. It means figuring out how all dimensions of schooling
can contribute to making students reach World Class Standards in at least five core
subjects.
While communities begin to develop ideas about what their own NAS might look like, a
national effort is underway to help. The New American School Development
Corporation (NASDC) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization created by business in
July of 1991 at the request of President Bush.
1
NASDC will raise $200 million of private capital for the support of 20 to 30 Design
Teams. The Design Teams-an assemblage of the best thinking the country has to
offer-will create adaptable models for break-the-mold schools. They can help
communities see what is possible and assist in creating the New American School that
best suits a given community.
Operating costs for NAS will be about the same as the cost of running most of today's
schools. To get them started, the President has asked Congress to provide initial funds
of up to one million dollars for at least 535+ New American Schools -one for each
Congressional District and two for each state. The money may be used for planning,
launch.
staff training, purchasing equipment, software, and instructional materials, etc-
whatever a community needs to get its New American School launched. After that,
operating costs will be met with non-Federal funds.
The legislation would authorize $180 million for fiscal year 1992, $180 million
for 1993, and $185 million for 1994.
545m,
To receive funding, communities would be nominated by Governors from
among AMERICA 2000 Communities and selected by the Secretary of
Education acting on the advice of a panel of experts.
All New American Schools would be fully operational by school year 1996-97.
But these 535+ New American schools are just the beginning. We hope that in years
ahead thousands of schools across the country will become a New American Schools.,
How does this effort to create a new generation of American school differ from previous
reform efforts?
It relies on clear, World Class Standards of performance. The central mission of each
NAS will be to help all student's reach World Class Standards in five core subjects, as
measured by American Achievement Tests.
It depends on community-wide efforts. It brings a wide range of intellectual and social
resources to bear on the challenge of helping students reach those World Class
Standards.
It aims to integrate all dimensions of a school's life to promote the achievement of
World Class Standards. This means using time, space, staff, and community resources
in more powerful ways.
It brings visionary designers together with communities dedicated to creating schools
that are best in the world-schools that draw on state-of-the-art technology, the latest
education research, the best education practices, and the community resources to put
them in place.
2
It calls for leadership from all levels.
The President introduced AMERICA 2000 and sought to put education
first-and keep it there.
Governors-31 are now leading STATE 2000 efforts.
Local leaders-thousands of civic, business, education and religious leaders
are organizing COMMUNITY 2000 efforts to transform learning in their
schools and communities.
Congress-the President has asked Congress to provide seed money for a new
generation of American schools.
The attached provides an idea of what a New American School might look like-nine
promising projects that help point the way.
3
A New Generation of American Schools
1.
RJR Nabisco's Next Century Schools
The RJR Nabisco Foundation is supporting fundamental school reform projects across the
country. Over five years, 1990 through 1994, 45 schools will share in $30 million in grants. To
date, 30 schools have received three-year grants of up to $250,000 per school per year to help
them increase the time students spend learning, alter the structure of the school day and year,
group students according to mastery level, and measure success based on student performance.
This year's 15 winning schools were chosen from 1,600 applicants.
2.
Ted Sizer's Coalition of Essential Schools
Less is more, student as worker, personalized learning-these are among the nine essential
principles that schools must commit to in order to become an Essential School. Ninety-eight
schools in 23 States have made commitment, in an effort to transform the roles of their students
and teachers, to recast students as active learners and teachers as coaches. Such transformation,
the Coalition recognizes, can come about only through comprehensive, concentrated efforts at the
individual school site. As Ted Sizer puts it, "Schools cannot be redesigned piecemeal:
everything important within a school affects everything else important there. Substantial redesign
by and of an existing school while it is operating is often every bit as difficult as rebuilding an
entire car while it speeds along an Interstate.'
3.
Washington State's Schools for the 21st Century
Created by the legislature in 1987, Washington's Schools for the 21st Century competition has
resulted in awards for 33 innovative educational projects. Schools are connected by an electronic
network, which enables teachers to "discuss" ideas and share lesson plans. The program
supports a 10-day supplemental contract which, in effect, sets aside two weeks for school-level
planning, staff development, and instructional improvement. Common themes among projects
include outcomes-based education, integrated curricula, cross-age grouping of students, parents
involvement, and technology.
4.
Saturn School of Tomorrow
In 1986, in his weekly New York Times column, Al Shanker wrote that "Perhaps the most
important step in revitalizing the [automobile] industry is the Saturn project. It is designed to
make believe that no one has ever made a car before and to start the whole process from
scratch-to reopen not just what the car should look like and how it should run but every
question of production, supplies, labor, relations, the role of management." That, Shanker,
argued, is what's needed in education-an educational Saturn project. Taken by this idea, Tom
King and David Bennett set out to make it happen. The result is the Saturn School of Tomorrow
which opened in St. Paul, MN in the fall of 1989. The Saturn School of Tomorrow uses
innovative approaches in staffing, use of computers, and creation of individual lesson plans for
students. It groups students by interest and ability, rather than by grade level. And students go
to museums, libraries, and elsewhere in the community for lessons. Saturn enjoys enthusiastic
support from parents.
5.
Lighthouse Project
In 1989 in Casper, Wyoming, Lamar Alexander called for the creation of "brand new American
Schools." The Casper business community responded to that challenge by sponsoring a
competition, open to anyone, to create innovative schools. The competition triggered a flurry of
creative thinking, drawing 37 proposals, from which five winning "Lighthouse School" proposals
were selected. Four of those proposed schools are scheduled to open in the fall of 1991, with
seed money from the business community.
6.
James Comer's School Improvement Program
Yale child psychologist James Comer's innovative school improvement process has been adopted
by a total of 165 elementary, middle and high schools, including schools in Prince Georges
County, Maryland, and by all elementary schools in New Haven, Connecticut. The "Comer
process," which was first implemented in 1968, emphasizes team building with parents,
comprehensive planning, staff development, and continuous assessment of student progress. All
Comer schools use a governance structure that includes three components: a school planning and
management team, a mental health, and a parent group.
7.
Henry Levin's Accelerated Schools Program
Unlike most approaches to compensatory education, where instruction is slowed down, Henry
Levin's idea is to accelerate instruction. The purpose of his Accelerated Schools Program is
simple: to bring every low-performing child up to grade level by end of elementary school.
Approximately 50 schools, including statewide networks in Missouri and Illinois, are testing the
three principles of Levin's program, First, parents and educators have set goals for their schools
and their children and identified ways to achieve those goals. Second, parents and educators are
at the school site are empowered to make the decisions necessary to make learning happen.
Third, teachers, parents, and students build on students' strengths.
8.
Speech by Chris Whittle at the April 1990 Education Roundtable, Sponsored by the
Tennessee Business Roundtable
"What we need is a fundamentally different American education. We need a new American
school. One that is better for students, one that is better for teachers, one that is better for the
country
In our new American schools, the objectives are going to be much clearer
Grade
levels will be a thing of the past. Students will learn at their own pace. They will finish when
they finish
"The pieces of the new American school are all around us. The great thing that pilots and
experiments have done is that they have shown us all the various things that we might do. The
'education Edisons' are really massive systems integraters. They are going around and taking all
these pieces and reassembling them into a whole that is fundamentally different that the one we
have."
9.
Project Genesis
A unique proposal in North Carolina would allow teams of educators to bid on-and winning
teams to run-new schools before their doors are opened. Proposed requirements would be
minimal; they would include a statement of principles, information on funding, and an
accountability plan. Also, up to half the slots in each school would be reserved for students
living outside the attendance area. A key provision in Project Genesis is training. Winning
teams would receive training and assistance in reconceptualizing schooling. They would then
hire and train their own staff, who may not need to meet teacher certification requirements. The
idea, ultimately is to extend Project Genesis beyond new schools to include existing schools as
well.
SUCCESS FOR ALL
SUCCESS FOR ALL is a school-wide program for students in grades pre-K to five. The idea behind this program
is to organize resources to ensure that virtually very student in a Chapter I school will reach the third grade with
adequate reading skills, and that no student will be allowed to "fall between the cracks". The main elements of the
program are:
1. Tutors: In grades 1-3, specially trained certified teachers work one-on-one with any students who are failing to remedial ch.1-
keep up with their classmates in reading. First grade students are the priority for tutoring.
2. Reading Program: During reading periods, students are regrouped across age lines for 90 minutes so that each
reading steacher
reading class contains students at one reading level. This eliminates the need to have reading groups within the
class and increases the amount of time for direct instruction. Also, use of tutors as reading teachers during reading
often now doosn 7
time reduces the size of most reading classes. The reading program in grades K-1 emphasizes language skills,
about
auditory discrimination and sound blending, and uses engaging, phonetically regular mini-books which students
read to one another in pairs. At the second through the fifth grade levels, students use school or district selected
regular
reading materials, basals, and trade books. This program emphasizes cooperative learning activities built around
partner reading, identification of characters, settings, and problem-solutions in narratives, story summarization,
reading
writing, and direct instruction in reading comprehension skills. At all levels, students read books of their choice
for twenty minutes each evening as homework Classroom libraries of books are developed for this purpose.
3. Preschool and Kindergarten: A half-day preschool program is provided for all eligible children. The
program emphasizes language development, readiness, and positive self-concept. A full-day kindergarten program
continues the emphasis on language, using children's literature and big books as well as thematically related
activities. It also adds early reading activities such as oral and written composition, activities promoting the
development of concepts about print, alphabet games, and math concept development. Peabody Language
Development Kits are used to provide additional experience in language.
4. Cooperative Learning: Cooperative learning is the vehicle that drives the Success For All curriculum.
Students work together in partnerships and teams, helping one another to become strategic learners. Emphasis is
placed on equal opportunities for success, individual accountability, common goals, and rewards.
5. Eight-Week Assessments: Students in grades 1-5 are assessed every eight weeks to determine whether they
are making adequate progress in reading. This information is used to assign students to tutoring and to suggest
alternative teaching strategies in the regular classroom, to make changes in reading group placement, family
support interventions, or other means of meeting students' needs. The school facilitator coordinates this process
with the active involvements of teachers in grade level teams.
6. Family Support Team: The Family Support Team is designed to work with parents in ensuring the success
of their children. The team focuses on promoting parent involvement, developing plans to meet the needs of
individual students who are having difficulty, implementing attendance plans, and integrating community and
school resources. The team is composed of the principal or vice-principal, facilitator, social worker, and other
personnel. In addition, all teachers share the responsibility of interacting closely with the team.
7. Facilitator: A full-time facilitator works with teachers in each Success For All school to help them implement
the reading program. In addition, the facilitator coordinates eight-week assessments, assists the Family Support
Team, facilitates staff support teams, plans and implements staff development, and helps all teachers make certain
that every child is making adequate progress.
8. Staff Support Teams: Teachers in the Success For All program support one another through the training and
implementation process in coaching partnerships, grade level teams, and other staff team configurations. These
teams become a catalyst for the dissemination of new material, goal setting, problem solving, and they provide a
supportive forum for discussion around new instructional strategies.
For more information contact:
In use in 31 states
cut special ed.
Success for All Program
schoolo
Center for Research on Effective Schooling for Disadvantaged Students
placements in half.
3503 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
12 states.
(410)516-0274
Figure 7.11
All Success for All Schools, All Years (1987-1991):
Average Grade Equivalents and Effect Sizes
4
ES=+0.51
3.5
3
ES=+0.99
Grade Equivalents
ES=+0.51
2.5
ES=+0.91
2
ES=+0.46
ES=+0.72
1.5
1
GRADE 1
GRADE 2
GRADE 3
all
low 25%
all
low 25%
all
low 25%
(22 cohorts)
(19 cohorts)
(14 cohorts)
(12 cohorts)
(7 cohorts)
(6 cohorts)
SFA
CONTROL
Note: Includes all students in all years of program implementation who were in Success for All or control
schools since first grade.
New American Schools
Theodore Sizer's Coalition of Essential Schools--Walbrook Senior High School, Baltimore,
Maryland
Rationale: Joining approximately 200 other high schools throughout the country that have
adopted the Coalition of Essential Schools model, Walbrook has incorporated two basic tenets in
its instructional program: establishing teaching practices for the individual needs of schools and
students, and teaching students to make their own discoveries. Instruction, therefore, focuses
more on student experimentation rather than lecturing or drill and practice. Rather than end of
semester testing, students' progress is determined by their ability to work through experiments.
write essays, or answer questions orally. Promotion and graduation is based on mastery of the
required critical skills and knowledge.
Description: The Walbrook High School is one of the charter sites for the Coalition of Essential
Schools, located in Baltimore, MD. Its student population is 99 percent black. It began
implementation of the Essential Schools program in September 1986 with 116 of its 450 9th
graders. The school uses a school-within-a-school model. This model has spread from the first
ninth grade team throughout the school.
In implementing the Essential Schools Model at Walbrook staff concentrate on developing
students "essential" skills--how to speak coherently. read and comprehend, conduct research in
libraries and compute basic math--all the while providing students with the tools they need to
continue learning throughout their lives.
Staff development is an important part of the program. In its initial stages, teachers attended a
six-week summer institute and made several visits to Brown University to learn implementation
strategies to develop instructional programs. based on students' identified needs. Teachers now
participate in a two-week long staff development institute each summer. The school has received
several grants to support the program. Most of the grant money has been used to support staff
development activities.
Like all Coalition schools, Walbrook staff must agree to develop school faculty governing
boards, participate in staff development. undergo a staff evaluation every three years, and
demonstrate sufficient funds to support their activities. The beginning ninth grade class
graduated in 1990. Seventy-three percent of the class went on to college, and the remaining
students all had post high school plans for continued education or employment. In addition, to
graduation rates, the school is beginning to collect achievement data. However, in addition to
52
test scores, mastery of essential skills has also been documented through the use of exhibitions of
students work focusing on a central theme.
Contact:
Samuel Billups
Walbrook Senior High School
Baltimore, MD
(301) 396-0721
53
RJR Nabisco Foundation's Next Century Schools
Next Century Schools is a competitive grants program of the RJR Nabisco Foundation designed
to stimulate bold reforms in American public elementary and secondary education. The program
provides grants of up to $250,000 per year for three years to individual public schools.
Rationale: The Next Century Schools Program was started in order to recognize and reward
entrepreneurial reform in public education in grades K-12. The program was started by Louis V.
Gerstner, Jr., Chairman and CEO of RJR Nabisco, who recognized that business has a vital stake
in the education of the Nation's children. As he explained:
"Next Century Schools is designed to bring about a radical change in our Nation's public
schools
For anyone who has taken a long hard look at our public education system, it is
painfully clear that traditional approaches to education aren't working anymore." (News
Release, April 2, 1990. RJR Nabisco. Inc., Washington. DC)
By providing $30 million in venture capital over a five-year period. RJR Nabisco expects to
enable entrepreneurs and risk-takers in education to break up the institutional gridlock that has
stifled innovation and creativity.
Program schedule: The program was announced on November 1, 1989, by the RJR Nabisco
Foundation, with a $30 million base for five years. The first 15 winners were announced in
April 1990, chosen from nearly 1,000 applicant schools. The first 15 schools implemented their
programs in September 1990. The second group of 15 winners was announced in April 1991,
chosen from approximately 1,600 applications. The second group of schools will implement their
programs in September 1991. A third and final group of 15 schools will be selected in April
1992 and will implement their programs in September 1992.
Application and selection process: Any individual public school in the United States is eligible
to apply. Each applicant submits a proposal describing what they intend to do and how they
intend to spend the grant funds. The proposal narrative includes: (a) a description of the school
and school district, (b) a summary of the elements of the program. (c) the goals of the program,
including specific targets being set for the students, (d) how progress toward these targets will be
measured and documented, (e) a statement of why outside funds are needed, and in particular,
why the grant will make a critical difference in the program, and (f) a capabilities statement.
Applicants also describe how their program, if it succeeds, could be continued and expanded
within their school district, or replicated across the State or Nation.
An advisory board composed of notable education, business, and public policy leaders help to
select the winning proposals. Until tapped by President Bush as Education Secretary, former
Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander had served on the program's 17-member board.
54
Applications are judged on the likelihood of improving the performance of children in school.
Grants are awarded based on prospects for improving student performance; a commitment to
reform shared by parents, teachers, and the community; and plans for sustaining and expanding
the program once it proves successful.
Description: "The Next Century Schools program addresses the failure of public education by
rewarding educators who challenge the system and try fundamentally new ways to teach. Rather
than tinker at the margins, the NCS grant winners have volunteered to be educational pioneers
and devise model programs that can be adapted by local communities nationwide," declared Mr.
Gerstner. (News Release, April 16, 1991, RJR Nabisco, Washington, DC)
Guiding principles for Next Century Schools include:
The overriding objective of school reform is to improve the academic performance of
students;
Grants will be made only at the school building level to those with direct responsibility for
educating children:
Success will require a shared commitment from many community participants, not only
teachers, but parents, administrators, community organizations, and businesses, among
others; and
Successful programs should be able to be expanded and replicated.
Winning reform initiatives included such elements as:
implementing all-day, year-round schooling:
bringing parental involvement into every classroom;
using an enhanced curriculum to motivate elementary children to take extra math instruction
during recess and after school;
involving teachers in redesigning an alternative high school;
breaking an urban middle school into five mini-schools with specialized instruction, small
classes and personalized support for each student;
creation of new learning environments;
bold programs for at-risk students; and
55
0 new methods to improve math and science skills.
Evaluation: Each of the Next Century Schools undertakes a yearly evaluation of their program,
assessing how they performed against the goals they set. The RJR Foundation utilizes the
expertise of (1) the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Education to work with each
school to establish appropriate assessment measures. and (2) the McKenzie Group of Washington,
DC to perform case studies and ethnographic studies of the schools. Additionally, the
Foundation conducts site visits.
Since each Next Century School is given a three-year grant, the Foundation wants to allow
sufficient time for each school to design and implement its program and, thus, does not expect to
report to the public anytime soon.
(404) 727-5788
56
Education
The President is committed to revolution and change in our education
system in order to meet the national education goals for the year
2000. The Congress is satisfied with a "business as usual" bill.
The President is committed to giving low- and middle-income
parents the same choice of schools for their children that
wealthier parents now have (Congress says "no").
The President wants help for communities to create break-the-
mold New American Schools (Congress says "no").
The President believes teachers and schools deserve greater
flexibility in how they use the more than $11 billion of
Federal funds covering more than 70 programs (Congress says
"no").
The President is working with the Governors to establish world-
class standards for what our students should know and be able
to do and a national assessment system tied to those standards
(Congress says "no").
low standards literate: newspapers.
Newspoples:
c
03.
2.7.
92
06:32
PM
AMERICA 2000 LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND
President Bush sent to Congress on May 23, 1991, his legislative
proposal for a National Education strategy, "The AMERICA 2000
Excellence in Education Act," S. 1141 and H.R. 2460. This
measure contained thirteen initiatives to help make radical
changes in our Nation's education system. Congress has since
enacted several of these initiatives: the National Council on
Educational Standards and Testing, the National Commission on
Time and Learning, and the Regional or State Literacy Centers.
Important initiatives that remain to be legislated are: assisting
States to create world class academic standards and a voluntary
national examination system, helping communities to create
"break-the-mold" New American Schools, allowing educators more
flexibility in using Federal money, as well as providing for
middle- and low-income parents to have more of the choices that
wealthy families have in selecting public or private schools for
their children. Other major initiatives of the Administration's
proposal include: Merit Schools, Governor's Academies for
Teachers, Governor's Academies for School Leaders, and
Alternative Certification of Teachers and Principals.
on January 23, 1992, the Senate passed S.2, the "Neighborhood
Schools Improvement Act," as an alternative to the
Administration's AMERICA 2000 proposal. This bill, which
provides for block grants to States to be used for educational
restructuring efforts, was amended during Floor consideration to
incorporate the AMERICA 2000 initiatives of: world class academic
standards and American Achievement Tests for our Country's
children, New American Schools (public only), and Regulatory
Flexibility.
The Senate bill provides for New American Schools to be supported
through applications for the combination of two waivers,
aggregating 25% of the State's grant, submitted to the Secretary
by the chief State school officer, acting in consultation with
the governor. The bill's Regulatory Flexibility provision allows
six States, at no more than fifty sites, to waive cumbersome
regulations relating to the use of Federal funds. The bill
authorizes public school Choice; however, the Senate rejected an
amendment to authorize a demonstration program that would allow
public and private Choice for middle- and low-income families.
The Administration's strategy to attempt to make the Senate bill
more acceptable was guided by the agreement with the House
Committee, which resulted in the inclusion of a provision to
authorize public and private Choice in H.R. 3320.
The House Education and Labor Committee, on September 21, 1991,
reported out the Kildee/Goodling education reform bill,
H.R. 3320, as an alternative to the Administration's AMERICA 2000
proposal. H.R. 3320, represented a genuine bipartisan effort to
take some initial steps in the direction of revolutionary change.
03.27.92
06:32 PM
P03
This measure, which authorized block grants to States for
"district-wide" reform activities, included the AMERICA 2000
initiatives of New American Schools, as an "allowable activity,"
as well as public and private school Choice. However, on
replace H.R. 3320. The new bill removes the provision for school
February 26, 1992, House Democrats introduced H.R. 4323 to
Choice, and permits local school boards to retain authority over
the legislation's provisions for "reform" plans for public school
education. New American Schools remain as an allowable activity
for public schools. On March 12, 1992, Secretary Alexander sent
a letter to Chairman William Ford (D-MI), which informed the
Chairman of the Secretary's disappointment in the Democrat's
decision to abandon the bipartisan Kildee/Goodling bill and to
strip the bill of crucial provisions. The Secretary's letter
stated that this action "takes us back to business as usual."
27.
92
06:32
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REASONS TO OFFOSE THE SENATE AND HOUSE EDUCATION REFORM BILLS
The AMERICA 2000 National Education Strategy is based on four
transforming ideas: New American Schools, Regulatory Flexibility,
Public and Private School Choice, and Standards and Testing. on
each of these key provisions, it appears that the Congress will
fail to pass a bill that will adequately implement any of the
Administration's objectives.
NEW AMERICAN SCHOOLS
The Senate bill has changed the Administration's New American
Schools proposal in the following significant ways: only public
schools are eligible for participation in the program; through
inordinately complicated and unnecessary waiver provisions, only
25% of the funds available under this bill can be spent on New
American Public Schools; and the entire funding and approval
process is placed in the hands of the existing education
bureaucracy -- the same cast of characters that are responsible for
the current state of education in our Country.
The House bill, as currently written, also limits New American
Schools to public schools. In addition, the House bill lists New
American Schools as only one of a number of allowable activities,
and leaves the entire funding process created in the bill in the
hands of the educational establishment on the State and local
levels.
RESULT: It is almost certain that any final bill sent to the
President will do little more than mention New American Public
Schools, will not be funded in such a way to allow New American
Schools to be created in every Congressional District as proposed
by the Administration, and will not be organized and controlled at
the community level.
EDUCATION FLEXIBILITY
The Senate bill creates a demonstration program that allows only
six States (at no more than fifty sites) to waive their regulations
relating to the use of Federal funds.
The House bill has no flexibility provision, and the House
Education and Labor Committee Democrats have been the strongest
opponents of this issue in past years. Consequently, it is can be
expected that only a demonstration program even more limited than
the Senate provision will be added to the bill in the House.
RESULT: Congressional Democrats are not willing to do more than
pay lip service to the concept of providing the flexibility that
educators need to develop innovative new ideas at the local level.
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CHOICE
The Senate bill permits only public school Choice. The full Senate
rejected a very limited public and private school Choice
demonstration amendment that was offered by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-
UT).
In the House, Education and Labor Committee Chairman William Ford
(D-MI) reneged on his agreement with former White House Chief of
Staff John Sununu and Secretary Alexander, to include public and
private school choice as an allowable activity in the bill. As a
result, the current bill makes no reference to public and/or
private school choice.
RESULT: Public and private school Choice will not be included in
the final bill. Accordingly, low- and middle-income parents will
not be allowed the opportunity to choose among all schools for
their children.
STANDARDS AND TESTING
The Senate, in S.2 and in the OERI reauthorization, has included a
provision, supported by the Administration, that adopts many of the
recommendations of the Commission on Standards and Testing.
The House bill will be amended to add its own Standards and Testing
provision. The Committee appears to be headed in the direction of
adding a number of objectionable provisions. In particular, it is
likely that the final bill passed by the Committee will include a
section attempting to tie the issue of Standards and Testing to
school financing.
RESULT: Any final bill sent to the President will likely include
a provision attempting to equalize funding among all schools in the
Country before, or at least concurrent with, proceeding with the
Administration's proposals on Standards and Testing.
OVERALL CRITICISMS
The bill could be vetoed for the following reasons:
0
The final bill makes little or no progress toward implementing
any of the AMERICA 2000 four transforming concepts that are
listed above;
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06:32 PM
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It is "business as usual" in many respects:
The educational establishment will be in control of the
entire process, as witnessed by the strong support of
nearly every education interest group -- including the
teachers' unions;
In and of itself, the bill does not accomplish
institutional change in our Nation's education system --
it is simply another block grant, that is similar to
Chapter 21
The opportunity for parents and others at the community
level to provide input, as envisioned in the
Administration's AMERICA 2000 proposal, is severely
limited.
From a procedural standpoint, Democrats, particularly in the
House, have refused to compromise and have reneged on
agreements with the Administration, as well as with the
Ranking Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee,
William Goodling (R-PA), to make the legislation more
acceptable. Additionally, Congressional Democrats have
included almost every major provision that has been advanced
by the education establishment interest groups.
A
Beth - pravo for SCI Olympice.
subj. of choice:
Poons interest: drugst violance.
recall the goal.
short list of goalo
Q
why are we dong this:
Simple: Best schools for children -- - Crunace
comm 2000- community
mobilizing support for children.
Phone
NA my soals
EAST HARLEM:
Gov 5. goals-
nations goals
RAULTEN
CATH
SCHOOLS:
25 million through the state existing agencies
Black Panic
Same as white
curviculum 11 Frameworks. standards.
Cannuersmith
Kids.
K-12
formula Confils: grants only-
C.Arsht-
Researches don't
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