Tom Price: “in classrooms across the country, schools are making the grade when it comes to No Child Left Behind. In my home State…”

“in classrooms across the country, schools are making the grade when it comes to No Child Left Behind. In my home State, Georgia is making significant gains. The achievement gap is narrowing as students in schools are held accountable for their performance. Educators know that merely promoting students to the next grade level is not the solution to low test scores. In 2002, 64 percent of African American fifth-graders passed the State math test compared with 86 percent of white students, a 22 percentage point gap. Now, thanks to No Child Left Behind, 80 percent of African American students passed the test, compared with 92 percent of white students, a 10 percent improvement. In 2002, 71 percent of Hispanic third-grade students passed the State reading test compared with 90 percent of white students, a 19 percentage point gap. This year, 86 percent of Hispanic students passed the test compared with 96 percent of white students. Again, nearly a 10 percent improvement. Mr. Speaker, No Child Left Behind is working. Student test scores are rising. But more importantly, students are leaving the classroom with the fundamental skills necessary to succeed at the next level and in life. ____________________”