U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today issued the following statement on House passage of the School Readiness Act of 2003:

"I applaud the House for its passage of legislation to reauthorize Head Start. This legislation is an important part of our efforts to ensure that all children, regardless of their family's socioeconomic status, are given the same opportunity to learn. While Head Start has helped millions of children, research shows the program can do a better job of preparing children to enter school. And when we are talking about this nation's greatest resource -- our children -- we must not be content to settle for the status quo. This legislation preserves Head Start's comprehensive social services while raising academic standards -- thus giving children a true head start on the road to academic success.

"I congratulate Chairman John Boehner, Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle and the members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee for their leadership and their commitment to America's children, and urge the Senate to move quickly to pass this legislation."

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