A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here today with such a distinguished group to announce this National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century.

I am especially delighted to be able to announce this Commission on the day that we commemorate the historic achievement that challenged our nation to reach new heights in math and science - the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon. And, we look forward to celebrating the next chapter in our history of space success, with the launch of the shuttle Columbia, captained by the first female shuttle commander, Eileen Collins.

Like the name Columbia, the name of this Commission has a great deal of meaning. The very fact that it is a national commission, for instance, is evidence of the strong bipartisan understanding that there is an urgent need for higher student achievement in math and science and an understanding that greater achievement hinges, in large part, on the qualifications and support we give our teachers.

If we do not focus as a nation on preparing excellent teachers and providing them with quality initial preparation, professional development, and supportive working conditions - then we will fall short of our goals for students. These are issues critical national importance - even national security.

Quite simply, if we do not work to ensure that we have the intellectual power that has helped us become the world leader we are today, we can be sure that we will not have the capacity to be the leader of tomorrow.

That is why I am so pleased that Astronaut and Senator John Glenn has agreed to take on the leadership of this Commission as his next mission for his country. John Glenn understands as well as anyone - through personal experience as well as professional leadership - the importance of giving every one of our students an excellent math and science education.

This leads me to the second part of the Commission's title - "Mathematics and Science Teaching." We know more clearly than ever today the critical role that taking challenging mathematics and science classes can have in the development of a young person's mind. From the earliest years of learning through high school, math and science classes are doorways to higher knowledge and future success.

A student who is not taught the potential, meaning, and magic of mathematics and science is a student who is denied the opportunity of broader learning and exploration, whose dreams can go unfulfilled, and whose future is limited.

But to learn and to appreciate these critical subjects, a student needs the wise guidance, strong hand, and nurturing qualities of a well-prepared and committed teacher.

The need for quality teachers is especially important at this time. Over the next 10 years - as a result of the baby-boom echo (the record surge in school-age population), and a record number of teacher retirements - the United States will be facing a severe teacher shortage. We will need 2.2 million additional teachers. And nearly a quarter of a million of those will need to be math and science teachers.

This demand represents both a great challenge - and a great opportunity. It is an opportunity for us to bring qualified and committed people into the teaching profession. It is an opportunity to prepare the next generation of leaders and thinkers with a strong foundation in math and science. And it is an opportunity to lay the groundwork for a successful new century.

This leads me to the final portion of the Commission's title - the words "for the 21st century." Over the next several months, I can assure you we will hear many times over about the promises and possibilities of the 21st century, as well as its potential perils and pitfalls.

But, in thinking about the end of this century and the beginning of the next, I think it is important to recognize that the dawn of the 21st century itself does not represent a specific deadline or point of departure - as dramatic as any individual date change may be.

Instead, we must think about the century that is almost upon us as a new opportunity; a chance to build and prepare for the future. Nothing will happen overnight or by magic. It will require planning and foresight.

Nowhere will this kind of forward-thinking and long-term investment reap greater benefits than in education - particularly in fields like math and science, which are so crucial to our individual and national success. Knowledge in these fields is not just for future scientists and mathematicians. It is a critical base for a wide variety of careers and for learning generally.

Thirty years ago we landed a man on the moon and brought him back. Thirty years from now, we may land a person on Mars and bring her back.

As an aside, I should also note that we have the exciting Mars Millennium Project this coming school year to foster such creativity and discovery.

But to achieve this monumental goal in space - as well as many others right here on earth - will require us to focus on strengthening how and what we teach the next generation. It will require all students - boys and girls, young and old, rich and poor, those living in urban, suburban, and rural areas - to be challenged in school, to learn how to think, to love learning, and to foster creativity.

Today is the time to set the stage for advancements for the next 30 years. I look forward to the work and the reports of this Commission as we endeavor to ensure that every American student has the opportunity and desire to explore the exciting worlds of math and science.

I know of no better way to demonstrate this link between our nation's successes in the past, the present, and the future than to present to you the Chairman of this National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, a true American hero and national leader, Senator John Glenn.

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