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1252306
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5/2/75 - National Education Association
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1252306
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document
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5/2/75 - National Education Association
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Education
Speeches, addresses, etc.
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1252306
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2
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1975-05-02
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5
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1975
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1975-05-02
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5
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 8, folder "5/2/75 - National Education
Association" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 8 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN def
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1975
-1-
1. N.E.A. HAS BEEN A POWERFUL INFLUENCE IN EDUCATION FOR
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN YEARS.
I AM TOLD THAT IN 1859 -- TWO
YEARS AFTER N.E.A.'S FOUNDING -- PRESIDENT BUCHANAN HOSTED THE TOTAL
MEMBERSHIP IN THE EAST ROOM -- ALL FIFTY-FIVE OF THEM.
-2-
1.7
BY CONTRAST TODAY YOU HAVE ONE POINT SEVEN MILLION MEMBERS
45
AND THROUGH THEM REACH FORTY-FIVE MILLION SCHOOL CHILDREN.
THIS IS A RECORD OF GROWTH IN WHICH YOU CAN TAKE GREAT
PRIDE.
-3-
2. I HAVE TAKEN SEVERAL STEPS TO EXPAND THE DIALOGUE WITH
EDUCATORS AND WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
(NOTE THAT VARIOUS
EDUCATION GROUPS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE TUESDAY MEETINGS AT THE
WHITE HOUSE AND THAT YOU HAVE MET OFTEN WITH H.E.W. SECRETARY
WEINBERGER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY TROTTER AND U.S. COMMISSIONER OF
EDUCATION T. H. BELL).
-4-
3. I AM PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE FIRST BILL I SIGNED AS
PRESIDENT WAS PUBLIC LAW 93-380
...
THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF
1974.
THIS LEGISLATION SHOULD FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM -- IT RENEWS OUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
-5-
4. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CLASSROOM TEACHERS HAVE A LARGER
VOICE IN FEDERAL POLICY-MAKING.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE TEACHERS
SERVING ON NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS AND COMMISSIONS, AND I WILL
INSTRUCT THE U.S. COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION TO OBTAIN SOME NOMINEES
FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR THESE APPOINTMENTS.
-6-
I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER BELL HAS ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS MATTER
WITH YOU.
WE HAVE NOT HAD MANY OPENINGS TO THIS POINT,
BUT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER WILL BE COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
-7-
5. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO BE DONE IN THE EDUCATION
FIELD.
WITH THE DECLINING SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS OF THE PAST THREE YEARS
AND THE PROJECTED DECLINES, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO TURN OUR
ATTENTION TO WHAT MIGHT BE DONE TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
FOR TEACHERS.
-8-
I HAVE STRONGLY SUPPORTED BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND EDUCATION OF
HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.
ADDITIONALLY, APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-FIVE
PERCENT OF THE REVENUE SHARING FUNDS SENT TO STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS HAVE GONE TO EDUCATION.
WE ARE ALSO PUTTING TOGETHER
OUR PROPOSALS FOR A NEW VOCATIONAL EDUCATION BILL THAT SHOULD
STRENGTHEN THAT ASPECT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
-9-
AND, AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZING THE NEED TO BUILD A
STRONGER WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATION AND THE WORLD OF
WORK.
I WAS PLEASED TO SEE A NEW CAREER EDUCATION LAW IN
P. L. 93-380 AND WAS PLEASED TO SUPPORT THE FIRST APPROPRIATION
FOR THAT PROGRAM.
-10-
6. ONCE WE SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF INFLATION AND RECESSION-
AND GET OUR ECONOMY MOVING AHEAD -- I HOPE TO TAKE SOME MAJOR
NEW INITIATIVES IN EDUCATION ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
FOR INSTANCE,
ONE OF THE GREAT NEEDS IN THE COUNTRY TODAY IS TO HAVE PARENTS WHO
UNDERSTAND HOW TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN GROW AND DEVELOP TO THEIR
FULL POTENTIAL.
-11-
MY ADMINISTRATION IS ALREADY SUPPORTING PILOT PROJECTS TO DEVELOP
AND TEST CURRICULUM MATERIALS FOR TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL YOUNGSTERS
HOW TO FOSTER INTELLECTUAL GROWTH AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT IN
PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN ANTICIPATING THE DAY WHEN THEY WILL BECOME
PARENTS.
-12-
SUCH MATERIALS ARE ALSO BEING DEVELOPED FOR PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN.
A T.V. PILOT PROGRAM SOON WILL BE DEVELOPED TO FOSTER SUCH SKILLS IN
PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN.
AS COURSES IN MORE EFFECTIVE PARENTING
BECOME WIDESPREAD THIS WILL, OF COURSE, MEAN MORE TEACHING JOBS.
-13-
I AM CONCERNED, AS YOU ARE, THAT WE STRENGTHEN OUR EDUCATION
SYSTEM THROUGH A BALANCED PROGRAM OF LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL
FUNDING.
I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THE EMPHASIS IN THE NEW
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT ON FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO
STRENGTHEN STATE SCHOOL FINANCE AND STATE EQUALIZATION PROGRAMS.
-14-
I UNDERSTAND THAT COMMISSIONER BELL IS NOW PREPARING THE GUIDELINES
AND STANDARDS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THE NEW LAW TOUCHES THE
IMPACT AID FORMULA AS WELL AS PROVIDING ANOTHER SECTION TO ENCOURAGE
AND SUPPORT STUDIES OF SCHOOL FINANCE FORMULAS IN ALL FIFTY STATES.
-15-
7. MY RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 1976 FOR
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION PURPOSES IS APPROXIMATELY
FIFTY PERCENT HIGHER THAN WAS THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET OF PRESIDENT
JOHNSON IN FISCAL YEAR 1969 (HIS LAST BUDGET WHILE HE WAS PRESIDENT).
-16-
8. WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE N.E.A.
YOUR ADVICE AND
ASSISTANCE WILL BE WELCOME.
I CAME HERE AS A FIRST STEP IN
ESTABLISHING CLOSER TIES BETWEEN N.E.A. AND MY ADMINISTRATION.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE AMERICAN EDUCATION.
END OF TEXT