A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Link to Report
Webcast of Event Announcing the Report

And to all of the commission's members, my thanks for your willingness to strive to improve American mathematics and science teaching and learning. I'd also like to thank Dr. Linda Rosen, the commission's executive director and my chief mathematics adviser, for her tireless work in seeing the commission through to this day. I am told that this panel did not always agree--and that their discussions were sometimes spirited, and their hours long.

Through it all, commission members shared their considerable knowledge and vision for educational excellence in these two important fields of learning. The commission members may be well skilled at adding up numbers and understanding formulas, but I think it is safe to say that here, their contribution is immeasurable.

I called for the creation of this commission because I saw the urgent need to recruit new teachers to meet the current and coming shortage in the fields of mathematics and science. Just as we need to call patriotic Americans to come forth in time of war, we need patriotic Americans to work together to face our future with strength in this era of science and math technology. I welcome the commission's recommendations today. The commission calls for much greater investments in the teaching profession, particularly in the math and science disciplines. I couldn't agree more.

And while this is a comprehensive blueprint and a long-term prescription for success, Congress can do something that will make a difference right now. Unfortunately, it has failed to act on our proposed overhaul of elementary and secondary programs. It can and must still approve the president's budget request to improve the quality of teachers, reduce class size, strengthen accountability for results and make other crucial investments in our schools. This support would be a strong down payment on the kind of investment that this commission has called for.

We know we must take steps immediately to meet the current shortage of math and science teachers. We also must invest wisely in the recruitment, professional development and retention of these teachers if we are going to accommodate the explosion of knowledge in these fields, as well as the uninterrupted increase in school enrollments projected through this century. I can attest to the strength, purpose, and dedication of many thousands of classroom teachers working today who will welcome the support called for in this report.

Many of us have known for some time that math and science learning is at a crossroads. One reason, of course, is the sheer amount of innovation and new knowledge in these fields just in the past decade. Our increasing reliance on computers, the growing globalization in business, and other consequences of the Information Age--all are placing greater demands on our schools and students. We need to meet these challenges if we are going to maintain our preeminence in these areas in the 21st century. This is our national mission.

This commission has worked hard to identify how this can and should be done. It is a starting point--a blueprint for building a program of success that will ensure American children meet the math and science challenges that surely will come. We have worked hard to lay a foundation for a strong future. We know what is needed.

This report makes clearer the convergence of several factors--higher learning standards, a strong economy, a richer knowledge base about math and science teaching, an increased spirit of volunteerism, and an historic public awareness of the importance of education--which make this the ideal time to move forward with a sense of urgency. This administration has played a role in helping bring about this convergence of factors, from high standards to building a strong economy.

As Senator Glenn might well remind us, when it comes to math and science learning--as well as all our educational endeavors--we must remember to be on solid ground before we reach for the stars.

This report provides an excellent launchpad, and I thank you again for your efforts here. I look forward to sharing this report with the president and to continuing our progress toward educational excellence in these important areas.