More Resources Secretary's Speech Summit Website

Declaring America's high schools are spawning an achievement gap that poses "an unrecognized educational crisis in this country," U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today unveiled a package of steps to help promote educational excellence in secondary education.

Speaking to the 700 delegates to the National High School Leadership Summit in Washington, Paige asserted "the number of children who leave our educational system unprepared is staggering."

"While we have some of the best high schools in the world with some of the finest students, a number of our schools simply do not serve some children well," said Paige, noting that only one in six African Americans seniors and one in five Hispanic seniors can read proficiently. "We are facing an unrecognized educational crisis in this country. Our wide and sometimes growing achievement gap confirms that we live with a two-tiered educational system. Today's summit and the series of actions we are taking are designed to tackle these issues head on."

Paige announced the following initiatives and projects at the event:

• Creation of a new leadership initiative for high schools called, "Preparing America's Future." It will be aimed at building "the next generation of high schools" by working together with parents, teachers, principals, education policy makers, elected leaders and foundations. The project will focus on four goals: setting high expectations and accountability for results; creating options and engaging students; fostering world quality teaching and school leadership; and making smooth transition into postsecondary education, training, and careers. To help launch the effort, a series of regional summits on high school improvement will be held across the country.
• $11 million in 22 new grants for promising activities in grades 6-12 to increase the number of low-income students who are ready to succeed in advanced courses. The awards are being made to national nonprofit organizations, states, school districts and charter schools through the department's Advanced Placement Incentives program and are a component of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act.
• $2.4 million in grants to expand the State Scholars Initiative, a business-led effort to increase the percentage of students completing a defined set of rigorous academic courses so that they are better prepared for success in postsecondary education, the military and the workplace. Six statewide business groups in Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico and Washington state will receive up to $300,000 to launch awareness and motivation efforts in at least two communities in their respective states over the next two years.
• A powerful new Web tool to guide parents and students through the college application and financial aid process called "Student Aid on the Web." The site offers everything from assessing a student's career interests to helping apply for financial aid. It can be found at www.studentaid.ed.gov.

"High schools of all sizes and shapes need improvement," Paige said. "No one should be complacent. School leaders must set challenging expectations for all students and engage them with learning. Today, we welcome the chance to join with you to transform America's high schools."

Dropout rates continue to be a problem, according to the secretary.

Paige said the on-time graduation rates at our inner city high schools are "shockingly low." At about half of the high schools in the nation's 35 largest cities, he said, fewer than half of ninth-graders graduate four years later. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, high school graduation rates are among the academic indicators used in determining adequate yearly progress. The information will also be included in state report cards that must be made public by each school annually.

Today's summit at the Hilton Washington and Towers attracted about 700 educators, policy makers, government officials, and education leaders from 46 states and territories from as far away as Guam.

Research papers and policy briefs were also delivered.

In addition, a new dedicated section on the Department of Education Web site will soon feature information on the summit, as well as programs and legislation affecting the high school community. When live in a few days, it will be located at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/hsinit/index.html.

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Editor's note: Secretary Paige's complete remarks are available online http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/2003/10/10082003.html.

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