U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today issued the following statement regarding the House of Representatives' passage of the District of Columbia fiscal year 2005 budget, which provides $40 million for education, including $14 million for the D.C. School Choice initiative.

"I am very pleased that the House of Representatives has included additional funding for the D.C. School Choice program. All students deserve the opportunity to learn without regard to family income. Choice is a fundamental right of our society, and that's exactly what the D.C. School Choice program provides — opportunities for students of lesser means to achieve. Despite being one of the top spenders in the nation, D.C. schools have little to show for it but an achievement gap that's more than double the national average. To have such a staggering achievement gap in this, the capital of the free world, is a national disgrace.

"Mayor Williams is committed to improving education in the district, and one of the ways he is doing this is by giving parents more choices for their children. I look forward to continue working with the mayor and the Congress on this issue, and thank the members of the House, especially Chairman Frelinghuysen, for their leadership."

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