This op-ed by Secretary Rod Paige appeared in USA Today on May 14, 2004.

I went to elementary and secondary schools in rural Mississippi in the 1940s and early '50s. Our schools were in a constant state of disrepair. The only textbooks that came our way were hand-me-downs. This was not an environment that encouraged black children to dream of opportunities, let alone higher education. But my parents were determined that my sisters and I go to college, and their resolve rubbed off on me. Back then, there were not as many options as there are today -- especially for a black man in the South. I was fortunate to be admitted to Jackson State University, a historically black college in Mississippi.

I was a junior in college 50 years ago, when the U.S. Supreme Court sent shock waves through this country with its decision in Brown vs. Board of Education. The justices declared clearly that the doctrine of "separate but equal" was unconstitutional. After the decision, the process of desegregating schools began.

There was jubilation on my campus, the feeling that a world of opportunity would open to us. Sadly, looking back, although Brown made it illegal to officially segregate schools, many of today's schools are not integrated, and the disparity in access to high-quality education remains. In fact, most urban schools are overwhelmingly "majority minority." The difference is that in this day and age, the segregation is voluntary.

If we ever hope to eliminate racism, the best way is through higher standards, better teachers, real accountability and, ultimately, educational opportunity.

I recognize that I was one of the lucky ones in that pre-Brown era. Both of my parents were educators. I worry that many of today's youths don't see education as the path to a better future. As several African-American scholars have noted, many of today's black youths see education as a "white thing."

That notion is painfully evident: Today, only one in six African-Americans can read proficiently upon leaving high school. The achievement gap in reading between blacks and whites is staggering. Nationally, at the fourth-grade level, the gap is 28 percentage points. Other indicators show similar trends: Black students in the K-12 system have almost triple the rate of disciplinary problems (measured by suspensions) as their white peers. Blacks earn college degrees at half the rate of whites.

What a travesty. But equality of opportunity must be more than just a statement of law; it must be a matter of fact. Then and now, our work begins in our educational institutions.

We still have a two-tiered public education system. Some fortunate students receive a world-class education. But millions are mired in mediocrity, denied a high-quality education. Most are children of color. This is not the legacy of Brown we imagined.

Some still believe we can fix our public education system by spending more money. But we already spend more per pupil on K-12 education than any other country except Switzerland. The issue is how the money is being invested. Historically, accountability in our education system has been absent.

Two years ago, the president and Congress, in a show of strong bipartisanship, passed a sweeping law that challenges the status quo. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act is the logical next step to closing the racial achievement gap in education after Brown ended segregation and the 1964 Civil Rights Act promised an equitable society.

With NCLB, the achievement gap is closing. A recent study by the Council of Great City Schools found that the achievement gaps in both reading and math in urban schools between African-Americans and whites, and Hispanics and whites, are narrowing. Now, every state has an accountability plan, parents are newly empowered, and every student will be taught by a highly qualified teacher.

Some have resisted this law. But Brown also met resistance. To those of us who grew up during those times, the chorus sounds familiar. Racial equality cannot exist as long as there is an educational achievement gap. We must make our schools equitable in order to make our society and culture equitable. Brown's legacy should be equality of opportunity. We must achieve this goal for the sake of all our children.

Rod Paige
U.S. Secretary of Education