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| PRESIDENT CLINTON HIGHLIGHTS THE PROGRESS OF AMERICA?S STUDENTS AND THE |
| CLINTON-GORE COMMITMENT TO INVEST MORE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND DEMAND MORE |
| FROM THEM |
| January 9, 2001 |
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Today President Clinton will visit James Ward Elementary School in Chicago,
Illinois to highlight that the Clinton-Gore commitment to invest more in
our schools, while also demanding more from them, has led to remarkable
progress in student academic achievement, closing the achievement gap,
expanding access to technology, and making higher education more
affordable. James Ward Elementary, with 88 percent of its students coming
from low-income families, represents the many urban, high-poverty schools
that have been transformed over the past decade into high-performing
schools. With the assistance of both state and federal money, including
Title I funds and a 21st Century Community Learning grant, Ward Elementary
has launched a comprehensive school reform effort that is yielding
impressive results in both reading and math test scores. Through their
leadership, the President and Vice President have helped raise expectations
for all students, supported states in developing and putting in place
rigorous standards and systems of assessment and accountability, and
invested in proven strategies to improve the educational performance of all
students.
Raising Standards and Holding Schools Accountable for Results
THEN: Falling test scores and low expectations.
In 1992, test scores were falling and only 14 states had
standards in core subjects. In 1990, only 38 percent of graduating
high schools seniors had taken a core curriculum of four years of
English and three years each of Math, Science and Social Studies.
Fewer than 80 percent of the nation?s highest-poverty schools
received Title I funds, which are intended to aid the most
disadvantaged schools. And students in many disadvantaged schools
faced watered-down curricula and low expectations instead of high
standards that challenged them to succeed.
NOW: High standards, accountability and rising test scores.
President Clinton and Vice President Gore launched an era of
education reform based on setting high standards for all schools
and students and providing the support to meet them. Higher
standards have begun to pay off for America?s students. Since 1992,
reading and math scores on the National Assessment of Educational
Progress have increased for 4th, 8th, and 12th graders, including
those students in the highest poverty schools. Math SAT scores are
at a 30-year high.
3 President Clinton and Vice President Gore enacted Goals 2000 which has
helped States establish standards of excellence for all children, and
implement steps to meet those standards and to raise educational
achievement. Under the Clinton-Gore Administration, 49 states have
implemented standards in core subjects and the proportion of graduating
high schools seniors completing a core curriculum has risen to 55 percent.
3 The President enacted legislation targeting Title I funds to
high-poverty schools and requiring States and school districts to turn
around low-performing schools. Today, nearly all of the nation?s
highest-poverty schools receive Title I funds. In 1999, the President
enacted a new $134 million Accountability Fund, which is helping school
districts improve low-performing schools by investing in proven reforms.
Next year?s budget increases this fund to $225 million.
3 The Clinton-Gore Administration has worked to expand public school
choice and to support the growth of public charter schools. In 1993, there
was one charter school in the nation; today, there are more than 2,000.
3 President Clinton fought for a won a new initiative to repair
America?s schools, providing $1.2 billion for urgent school renovation.
The 2001 budget also provides much-needed repair funds to Native American
schools.
Improving the Quality of Education with High Quality Teachers
THEN: High class size and low investment in teacher quality.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the federal government cut
and continuously underfunded assistance for teacher recruitment and
training, setting the stage for anemic investments in this
priority for years to come. Large class sizes made it difficult for
teachers to maintain order or give students the personal
attention they need to ensure they learn the basics. In 1992, fewer
than 80 percent of English and Math teachers had a college
major or minor in their teaching field, and only 282 teachers were
certified as National Board Teachers as recently as 1995.
NOW: Helping communities begin to hire 100,000 quality teachers to
reduce class size.
The Clinton-Gore Administration has made the recruitment,
preparation, and training of high-quality teachers a priority, and
investments in these programs have increased more than ten-fold
since the 1980s. President Clinton and Vice President Gore proposed
and enacted the Class Size Reduction Initiative, which is helping
communities begin to hire 100,000 qualified teachers to reduce class
size in the early grades. They created Troops to Teachers in
1994 to help improve public school education by introducing the
skills and experience of military service members into
high-poverty schools. They won $567 million for teacher quality
initiatives in the FY 2001 budget, investing in teacher
development, recruitment, and retention, expanding Troops to
Teachers to other mid-career professionals; and training early
childhood educators. Thanks in part to the Clinton-Gore
Administration?s support of the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards, the number of National Board Teachers has
climbed to 4,804 in 1999. And in 1999, 86 percent of English
teachers and 82 percent of Math teachers had a major or minor in
their teaching field.
Expanding Access to Technology in Schools
THEN: Educational technology a low priority.
A decade ago, computers were largely luxuries found only in the
most affluent school districts. In 1993, only three percent of
classrooms had computers that were connected to the Internet, and
in 1994 only 35 percent of public schools had Internet access.
Students had little opportunity to learn to use computers
and to explore the Internet, and the government had not mobilized
its resources to expand the use of technology in our
schools.
NOW: Historic investments in educational technology lead to 95
percent of public schools connected to the Internet.
Understanding the critical importance of incorporating technology
into the classroom and ensuring equal opportunity for students to
benefit from technology, the Clinton-Gore Administration made
increasing access to technology in our schools a top priority.
President Clinton and Vice President Gore created the E-rate and
the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund to help connect every
school to the Internet, increase the number of multimedia
computers in the classroom and provide technology training for
teachers. In addition, with the Vice President?s leadership the
E-rate has secured low-cost connections to the Internet for
libraries, rural health clinics and hospitals, providing discounts
worth over $2 billion annually. The number of classrooms
connected to the Internet increased to 65 percent in 1999, while
the number of public schools connected rose to more than 95 percent.
President Clinton and Vice President Gore increased our investment
in educational technology by over 3,600 percent -- from $23 million
in FY 1993 to $872 million in FY 2001.
Opening the Doors of Higher Education to All Americans
THEN: Costs put college out of reach for too many students
With tuition costs skyrocketing, middle class families were
struggling to put their children through college. In 1992, only
43 percent of students benefited from federal student grants
and loans, and more than 22 percent of student loan
borrowers defaulted within two years of entering
repayment. The maximum Pell Grant award was $2,300, and its value
had not kept up with inflation.
NOW: Largest expansion of college opportunity since the GI Bill
To open the doors of college to all Americans, the
Clinton-Gore Administration enacted the largest investment
in higher education since the GI Bill. President Clinton
and Vice President Gore created HOPE Scholarships and
Lifetime Learning tax credits, which were claimed in 1999 by
an estimated 10 million American families struggling to pay for
college. Lower student loan interest rates and fees have saved
students over $9 billion; the average $10,000 loan costs a
student $1,300 less now than it did in 1993. The student loan
default rate has fallen for seven straight years and is now a
record-low 6.9 percent. President Clinton expanded the
Work-Study program and increased the Pell Grant maximum
award to $3,750 -- the highest amount ever. In 1999, 59
percent of students benefited from federal student grants and loans.
Improving Education for All of America?s Children
? More States Have Set High Standards: In 1992, only 14 states had
standards in core subjects; today, 49 states have them and 48 have
assessments to measure student progress.
? Reading and Math Scores Have Increased: Since 1992, reading and math
scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress have increased
for 4th, 8th, and 12th graders, including those students in the highest
poverty schools.
? Nearly Doubling After-School Learning Opportunities. The budget
includes $846 million for after-school programs, a $396 million (or 88
percent) increase over last year and $246 million above the House
Republican plan, serving 1.3 million children nationwide.
? Federal Funds are Targeted to Areas of Greatest Need: The percentage
of high-poverty schools receiving Title I funds rose from 79 percent in
1994 to 96 percent in 1998.
? More Schools are Connected to the Internet: The percentage of
classrooms with Internet access increased from 3 percent in 1994 to 65
percent in 1999. In addition, 95 percent of schools are connected to the
Internet, keeping us on track to reach our goal of connecting every school
to the information superhighway.
? Math SAT Scores are at a 30-Year High: The average SAT math score has
gone from 501 in 1992 to 514 in 2000, and the average verbal score has gone
from 500 to 505 while more students from diverse backgrounds are taking the
test than ever before.
? More High School Graduates Going to College: More high school
graduates than ever are going directly to college. Especially notable are
the increases in the college-going rate for low-income high school
graduates, from 44 percent in 1992 to 51 percent in 1997, and for African
American high school graduates, from 50 percent going directly to college
in 1992 compared to 59 percent in 1997.
? Doubled Student Financial Aid: Since 1993, student aid has doubled to
nearly $60 billion, including the tuition tax credits, and more students
are benefiting from federal student grants and loans ? 43 percent in 1992
compared to 59 percent in 1999. The maximum Pell Grant has increased from
$2,300 in 1992 to $3,300 in 2000.
? Reduced Costs on Student Loans: Lower student loan interest rates and
fees have saved students over $9 billion; the average $10,000 loan costs a
student $1,300 less now than it did in 1993. New direct student loans have
saved taxpayers over $4 billion so far by eliminating lender subsidies.
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