Asa Hutchinson: “I applaud President Bush for his commitment to education in unveiling a very serious and comprehensive education reform…”

“I applaud President Bush for his commitment to education in unveiling a very serious and comprehensive education reform program today. It is an education package that, if enacted in its entirety, I believe, will ensure that no child in America will be left behind . . . That should be our goal. One of the wonderful aspects of what President Bush is now doing is to help us redefine what success is in education. For too long, success has been defined by: How much do we spend? President Bush wants to redefine that as to how much children are learning. That should be the criteria for whether or not we are succeeding in education. His proposals represent an excellent framework for moving forward, and moving forward quickly, on a bipartisan basis, with legislation in Congress. I call on my colleagues to have an open mind on this education package and allow us to work together to achieve these goals. Among other things, he seeks to address the problem of failing schools. Federal support, under his plan, will be provided, augmenting State funds, to help schools that need improvement. All children in America deserve to have the chance for a quality education.”