U.S. Secretary of Education Roderick Paige emphasized high standards for all students in a short keynote address Friday as part of the 34th annual Oregon Conference for Education.
About 400 educators and education supporters sat down to a three-course lunch at the Valley River Inn and listened intently to Paige, though he gave no opportunity for a question-and-answer session following his speech.
In his address, Paige explained the outline of President Bush’s education plan, repeating Bush’s motto, “No child left behind,” throughout his speech. Bush’s plan asks educators, as well as parents and children, to accept responsibility for the learning process of each child.
“This comes from the depths of a man’s heart who really wants to make a difference in the lives of boys and girls,” Paige said, referring to Bush. “And he needs your help.”
Paige reinforced the issue of high standards for all. He said he feels strongly that each child has equal potential, and that it is unfair to categorize children by their backgrounds. Echoing the president, Paige said he thinks there should be an annual assessment of the educational institutions in the United States.
This assessment would highlight potential problems in education plans and help show what areas need attention, he said. Paige said he understands that there are many effective strategies, with the main one being accountability for results. He plans to provide assistance for parents to enable them to become active in the learning process.
To achieve the goals proposed by Bush, he said, educators will have to incorporate these tactics: raising student performance, improving teacher quality, providing safer learning environments, reducing bureaucracy and increasing funding flexibility for the nation’s schools.
Bush has budgeted $5 billion for his education plan. His proposal will provide the Education Department with a $1.6 billion increase for elementary and secondary education, according to government reports found at www.ed.gov. This investment, the president maintains, will help provide much-needed assistance for disadvantaged students who have been left behind too long.
The president has promised at least $1 billion for reading programs and $2.6 billion for states to improve teacher quality. An additional $1 billion has also been promised in Pell Grants for disadvantaged students seeking financial assistance for higher education, according to the government site.
Paige concluded his speech with a challenge to all present. He asked each person to go out into the world and turn Bush’s education plans into reality. He urged those gathered to find ways to help improve the education system in their own community.
Paige said he does not want these same concerns and questions being asked again 20 years from now.
“Now is the time to be bold — when the federal government is ready to invest,” he said.