This op-ed by Secretary Rod Paige appeared in USA Today on December 16, 2003.
President Bush and I strongly support public education in America. Our goal is to improve our schools and to provide all children in the nation with a high-quality education—no matter their race, ethnicity or ZIP code. To imply anything else is simply absurd ("Reform's 'hammer' fails," Opposing view, Improving public education debate, Dec. 4).
The historic No Child Left Behind Act requires some drastic changes to shift the focus from serving the "system" to serving the needs of every single child. It is not unexpected that these changes will make some uncomfortable and result in unfounded criticism of a good law.
The law allows some students to transfer from one public school to another public school that will better meet their needs, or to get extra help, such as tutoring. These provisions in the law extend educational options to all parents, not just those who can afford a change.
But parents can take advantage of these new opportunities only if they know about them, which is why the U.S. Department of Education supports community organizations that will inform them of their options.
Privatization is not our goal. We are injecting choice and competition into a system that has, for too long, operated like a monopoly.
By supporting choice, we are supporting public education. No Child Left Behind will make public schools stronger, period. It is time to set aside the misleading rhetoric and get to the business of educating children.
Rod Paige
U.S. Secretary of Education
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