Bob Schaffer: “I have become deeply convinced of the value of parental involvement in education.”

I really enjoyed the chance to discuss and act on issues similar to the ones you're considering today.

Just giving parents the opportunity to choose empowers them in a way that is helpful.

The question is now, when we see all of the reform that is taking place, before you didn't know where your qualified teachers were, you wouldn't say where the distribution was, your graduation rate--any improvement made you AYP.

This is the greatest environment for school reform I have seen in my career in here, in 38 years on this committee, and we should be taking advantage of it.