Message to the Congress Transmitting Proposed Legislation on Class-Size Reduction and Teacher Quality May 8, 1998
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May 8 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 the job, but the challenge must be met because NOTE: The President spoke at 12:50 p.m. in the America can't become what it ought to be if Senate Chamber. In his remarks, he referred to we don't. Gov. Tom Carper and Lt. Gov. Ruth Ann Minner We can do this. This is not rocket science. of Delaware; President Pro Tempore Thomas B. This is an affair of the mind which most of Sharp, Delaware State Senate; Speaker Terry R. us can comprehend. Fundamentally, it is also Spence, Delaware State House of Representa- an affair of the heart. We knowÐwe knowÐ tives; Russell W. Peterson and Sherman W. that the best days of this country are still ahead. Tribbitt, former Delaware Governors; Mayor You may be the oldest State, but you still want James L. Hutchinson of Dover; Philip Bigler, 1998 to have the longest future. And the only way National Teacher of the Year; and Gov. James B. we can do it is with this. Hunt, Jr., of North Carolina. Thank you very much. Message to the Congress Transmitting Proposed Legislation on Class-Size Reduction and Teacher Quality May 8, 1998 To the Congress of the United States: Smaller classes will have the greatest impact I am pleased to transmit today for your imme- on student learning if the new teachers brought diate consideration and enactment the ``Class- into the classroom are well qualified to teach Size Reduction and Teacher Quality Act of reading and to take advantage of smaller learn- 1998.'' This legislative proposal would help ing environments. For this reason, my proposal States and local school districts recruit, train, emphasizes not just class-size reduction but also and hire 100,000 additional well-prepared teach- professional development for educators, and it ers in order to reduce the average class size will give school districts adequate time to recruit to 18 in grades 1 through 3 in our Nation's and train staff while phasing in smaller classes. public schools. It is an essential part of our Furthermore, all new teachers hired under the overall effort to strengthen public schools program would be required to pass a State throughout the Nation. teacher competency test and would also have As schools across the Nation struggle to ac- to be certified to teach or be making satisfactory commodate a surge in enrollments, educators progress toward full certification. and parents have become increasingly concerned We can help all of our students learn to read about the impact of class size on teaching and independently and well by the third grade, get learning, particularly in the critically important a solid foundation in basic skills, and reach high early grades, where students learn reading and educational standards if we start them off with other basic skills. This concern is justified: rig- small classes and well-prepared teachers in the orous research confirms what parents and teach- early grades. ers have long believedÐthat students in smaller Under my proposal, the Department of Edu- classes, especially in the early grades, make cation would provide $20.8 billion in mandatory greater educational gains and maintain those appropriations over a 10-year period (beginning gains over time. These gains occur because with $1.1 billion in fiscal year 1999) to States. teachers in small classes can provide students The States would then distribute the funds to with more individualized attention, spend more local school districts based on their relative class time on instruction and less time on discipline, sizes in grades 1 through 3, as well as on their and cover more material effectively. Moreover, ability and effort to finance class-size reductions the benefits of smaller classes are greatest for with their own resources. The bill would provide poor, minority, and inner-city children, the chil- States with considerable flexibility in distributing dren who often face the greatest challenges in these funds, while ensuring that the most needy meeting high educational standards. school districts receive a fair share. 728 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 15:13 Jul 12, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00001 Frm 00728 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\PUBPAP\PAP_TXT txed01 PsN: txed01 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1998 / May 8 Moreover, because my proposal would actu- in class sizes and the achievement of their stu- ally appropriate the funds needed to carry out dents in reading, based on rigorous assessments. the program, States and local communities could Schools whose students fail to make gains in count on these funds without the need for sepa- reading would be required to undertake correc- rate congressional appropriations each year. This tive actions. In addition, the Department of proposal is fully paid for within my Fiscal Year Education would undertake a comprehensive na- 1999 Budget, and therefore would not reduce tional evaluation of this program and its impact the budget surplus. on reading achievement and teaching. School districts would use these funds to re- I urge the Congress to take prompt and favor- duce class sizes in grades 1 through 3. Just as able action on this proposal. Its enactment importantly, these funds would also be available would help school districts reduce class sizes for a variety of activities to ensure that students in the early grades and improve instruction and in the early grades receive sound and effective achievement in reading, issues that are of major instruction, such as making sure that teachers importance to parents and to the Nation. know how to teach reading and other subjects effectively in small classes. WILLIAM J. CLINTON This proposal includes strong accountability for results. Participating school districts would The White House, produce ``report cards'' documenting reductions May 8, 1998. Remarks to the Community at Dover Air Force Base May 8, 1998 Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Sec- play very important roles in our national secu- retary, for your wonderful remarks and your rity, most recently in leading the struggle in sterling leadership of the Department of De- the Senate to make Europe a safer place by fense. To Governor Carper and Congressman guiding NATO and offering membership to Po- Castle, Colonel Grieder, Colonel Keitel, Mayor land, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. The Hutchinson; to the Secretary of Education, Dick people of Delaware can be very proud that they Riley, who is here with me today; to all the have two Senators playing a leading role in such members of the United States Air Force, their an important national security area. families, their friends, and thank you especially And Delaware is not too small to house these for bringing the children today. And I'd like mammoth C±5's to do so much of America's to say a special word of thanks to the Dover heavy lifting, not too small for a new 60,000- High School Band for their welcome and their pound Tunner loader moving heavy cargo on music. I don't know if the recruiting officer has and off the giant planes. I know it's hard for been to see them, but they have sufficient en- the logistics people here to wrestle with those thusiasm to be in our military service. Great pallets, but hopefully the new loader makes job. things just a little easier. I am delighted to be here, back at Dover Your efforts are essential. We live in a time Air Force Base, home of the 436th Military Air- of enormous promise, but you know from your lift Wing and the 512th Reserve Wing, those own work that there is also a tremendous re- of you who work around the clock to support sponsibility for the United States out there both and defend our freedom. I've already had a to take advantage of the promise and to meet chance to be on the C±5 and speak with some the challenges of the post-cold-war era. of you individually. I'd like now to say a few From Guatemala to Mozambique, from Bos- words to all of you. nia and now to Ireland, peace is taking hold Delaware calls itself ``Small Wonder.'' It's not in countries and regions that have endured ter- too small, however, to have two leading United rible violence. Revolutions in technology and States Senators, Bill Roth and Joe Biden, who 729 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 15:13 Jul 12, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00001 Frm 00729 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\PUBPAP\PAP_TXT txed01 PsN: txed01.