Bob Kerrey: “I believe that in order to achieve a goal, we must set the goal, commit the necessary resources to reaching the goal…”

“I believe that in order to achieve a goal, we must set the goal, commit the necessary resources to reaching the goal, and establish a method for measuring our progress toward that goal. Voluntary national testing would enable us to reach our goal of raising the achievement levels of America's children. I oppose the Coats Amendment because it deprives parents, school administrators, teachers, and students of the information needed to continue the work of constructive education reform. Funding for the development, planning, implementation, and administration of voluntary national testing for individual students in mathematics and reading is important for several reasons. Requiring a Federal statute would impede cooperative efforts to ensure that children in every State have the necessary knowledge and skills to be competitive in today's highly mobile and globally conscious society. Put simply, we need voluntary testing because we cannot ascertain where we are going if we do not know where we are. Parents need to know how their child's educational achievement level in reading and mathematics compares with that of other children nationwide. Because families are relocating with increasing frequency these days, children need to feel confident that they can perform at a consistent level of achievement even though they may change school districts.”