Political Quotes

“Yesterday U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan placed a call to the principal of the Charles Barnum Elementary School in Groton, Connecticut, to congratulate the school's 100 percent math score and 92 percent reading score in the Connecticut Mastery tests. The school's success was notable for two reasons: First, because Barnum is a good old-fashioned public school that raised its test scores to almost perfection the right way--through teamwork by administration, teachers, staff, students, and parents--and second, because it's a school adjacent to the Groton Navy sub base with over 90 percent of its student body children of active duty Navy. These are families which face tremendous challenges with parents away at sea for months at a time incommunicado with their kids. Despite that environment, the Barnum community has made sure that its kids are achieving the highest level of proficiency in reading and math. Congratulations to Principal Valerie Nelson and everyone at Barnum, and thank you for giving the country an example of educational success which we in Congress should carefully examine as the time approaches to reform America's schools.”