Contact: Lindsey Kozberg (202) 401-3026

Speaker Frequently Deviates from Prepared Text

FY 2002 Budget Information
Press Release

The reason for this is simple: there is nothing more important for the future of this great Nation than the education of our children-just ask any parent. As I stand here today, our system of education is failing too many of those children. In this very room on Friday, we heard that despite the ever-increasing federal investment in education over the past decade, average reading performance among our fourth graders has not improved since 1992. When 40 percent of our – 4th graders and nearly 70 percent of inner-city 4th-graders – are unable to read at even the Basic level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), our education system is broken and repair is needed urgently.

President Bush and I are especially concerned about the deep, persistent, and unacceptable gaps in achievement between poor and minority students and their more advantaged peers. The chart behind me shows that despite nearly two decades of education reform efforts, African-American and Hispanic students continue to score significantly below White students on NAEP reading and math assessments. The NAEP assessment for fourth grade reading released last week illustrated that the flat average reading scores resulted from better students performing better and poorer students performing worse. Clearly, too many children are being left behind by our current education system. The time has come for a bold and fundamental change in how our system of public education works.

I know we are here today to talk about the education budget, but there is another message I hope you will take away from this press conference. Improving our schools isn't just about money. The other chart behind me shows that despite more than a decade rapidly increasing Federal spending on elementary and secondary education, student performance has not improved. Simply spending more money in the same way is not the answer. We need to do things differently, to adopt a culture of achievement in our schools and school systems, and to demand results for our growing investment in education.

That's why I'm especially proud of the President's 2002 budget request for education. It provides an increase of $2.5 billion or almost 6 percent over the 2001 program level - the largest increase of any domestic Department. As you know, this increase comes in the context of the President's overall effort to restore discipline to discretionary spending over the next decade while delivering an across-the-board tax cut benefiting all American families. I am very pleased by this demonstration of the President's commitment to education.

I am even more pleased that these new dollars are focused on changing the culture of our education system and closing the achievement gap. Our budget reflects the principles put forward in No Child Left Behind: high standards; annual testing of all students in grades 3-8 in reading and math; increased accountability for student performance; a focus on research-based practices-particularly in teaching reading; reduced bureaucracy and greater flexibility for States, school districts, and schools; and expanded options for parents to make choices for their children's education.

To support assessment of student, school, and State progress, the budget provides $320 million to help States develop and use annual reading and math assessments for all students in grades 3-8. These funds will help ensure that all States have such assessments in place by the 2004-2005 school year.

We also are asking for $9.1 billion in Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies, an increase of $459 million, to give States and school districts financial support to turn around failing schools, improve teacher quality, and ensure that all students meet State academic standards before advancing to the next grade. In particular, $400 million of these funds would be dedicated to efforts to turn around low-performing schools, an increase of 78 percent over the 2001 level.

The President's Reading First program would help States and school districts implement comprehensive reading instruction grounded in scientifically-based reading research for children in kindergarten through third grade. The budget includes $900 million for Reading First State grants, more than triple the 2001 level for reading instruction.

To help improve teacher quality, the President is requesting $2.6 billion for a new State formula grant program that would consolidate several existing programs and give States and school districts greater flexibility to fund their own needs and priorities in developing and supporting a high-quality teaching force. The request provides a $375 million, or 17 percent, increase over 2001 funding for the consolidated programs.

The President would create meaningful choices for parents through a new $175 million Charter Schools Homestead Fund. The program dollars will be used to provide grants to leverage funds to build, lease, purchase, or renovate facilities for use by charter schools. The President is also proposing a tenfold increase in the annual contribution limit for education savings accounts, from $500 to $5,000. Parents would be able to make tax-free withdrawals from these accounts to pay for elementary, secondary, college, and after-school program expenses at both public and private schools.

The President's budget includes a $1 billion increase for the Special Education Grants to States program, for a total of $7.3 billion. This is the largest increase in this program ever requested by a President, and would provide an estimated $1,133 for each child with a disability. That is approximately 17 percent of the national average per-pupil expenditure - the highest level of Federal support ever under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

For postsecondary education, the budget provides a $1 billion increase for Pell Grants to support a maximum grant of $3,850 - the highest ever - and to improve access to postsecondary education for economically disadvantaged students. A $50 million increase for TRIO would improve the level of outreach and support services designed to help low-income students enroll in and complete a college education.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities continue to play a key role in American higher education, and the President would increase aid to these schools by $15 million. Postsecondary institutions serving largely Hispanic populations will receive a $4 million increase.

We also would encourage more college students to pursue teaching careers in high-need areas by expanding loan forgiveness for math and science teachers serving low-income communities from $5,000 to a maximum of $17,500.

These are just some of the highlights of the President's budget request for Education. On behalf of the Department, I want to express my thanks to President Bush for his commitment to our Nation's children and to the Department of Education.

In addition to the Department's budget, the President will provide other federal agencies with a $490 million increase to support other initiatives related to his education reform agenda. I look forward to working with these other agencies in any way I can.

It is time to stop funding failure and start building a culture of accountability and achievement in our education system. No Child Left Behind provides a comprehensive plan for transforming the Federal role in education to support this goal, and the President's 2002 budget represents a solid down payment for carrying out that plan.

Thank you for listening, and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.