More Resources Secretary's Remarks

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today announced plans to highlight programs that encourage race-neutral admissions policies in higher education. He made the announcement at the National Center for Educational Accountability's regional conference in Austin, Texas, where he also discussed the historic No Child Left Behind Act and its impact on America's schools.

"One of the greatest injustices in our great country has been an education system that, for too long, found it perfectly acceptable to teach only some students well while the rest -- mostly minority and mostly low-income -- floundered or flunked out," Paige said. "Is it any wonder then that so many ended up knocking on the doors of higher education without the knowledge and skills to enter?

"Admissions quotas and double standards are not the answer. Fixing the problem at the front end, where it can do the most good is the answer. And that's the president's purpose behind the No Child Left Behind law: to fundamentally change the way we educate our children in America -- from a system that does a good job educating some children, to a system that does a good job educating all children, from all walks of life.

"By raising the bar for achievement in our nation's schools, we raise the quality of high school graduates. And that increases the number of students capable of winning admission to the college of their choice, based on their talent and potential."

Paige announced that he has directed the department's Office for Civil Rights to step up efforts to share information about race-neutral alternatives with the education community throughout America and soon release a report on programs nationwide to provide ideas and assistance. And, he said that later this year he will host a national conference that will bring together leading education experts to highlight innovative ways to diversify our nation's colleges and universities.

"It is not right to fight discrimination with discrimination. Our goal is diversity," Paige added. "We must be proactive as a nation. And these new steps will help equip state and university leaders with more information to help them explore non-discriminatory alternatives for admissions."

Secretary Paige's complete remarks are available online at www.ed.gov.

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