James M. Jeffords: “this morning, I, Senator Kennedy, Congressman Boehner, the Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, and…”

“this morning, I, Senator Kennedy, Congressman Boehner, the Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, and Congressman Miller, the ranking Democrat of that committee, met with President Bush to discuss his very ambitious education initiative. The package the President is putting forward today contains several areas where there is general, bipartisan agreement for providing the tools necessary for every child to receive a quality education. These areas include: strengthening accountability to improve student performance; providing the funds necessary to prepare, recruit, and train high quality teachers; developing reading initiatives to ensure that all students will be able to read by the third grade; strengthening early childhood programs; creating a math/science partnership for states, colleges, and universities to strengthen K through twelve math and science education; providing activities related to technology as a means to boost student achievement; and giving school districts the flexibility to be innovative in implementing reform. All Americans agree that every child in this country deserves a high quality education. We at the federal level must remember that we do not necessarily have all the answers for making high quality education accessible to all students. It is parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, school personnel, state and local school board officials, and students that have many of the answers.”