This letter to the editor by Secretary Rod Paige appeared in the Canton Repository on August 18, 2004.

Dear Editors,

I appreciate your response to my appearance at Timken High School last Monday to announce a $10.7 million Play It Smart grant to help student-athletes win in the classroom. I was proud to be a part of it.

During the event I stressed the value of a college education. I noted that studies show four-year college graduates earn more on average than non-college graduates. However, I by no means intended to denigrate those who choose another path in life.

The city of Canton and the state of Ohio are justly famous for their skilled manufacturers and tradesman. These are honorable and profitable professions for a young adult to choose. But they should be just that—a choice. No one should be shut out of college because they were denied a quality secondary school education.

Manufacturers in this competitive global marketplace increasingly rely on a skilled workforce with a strong academic foundation. The President's Jobs for the 21st Century Initiative would provide $500 million for secondary and post-secondary education and job training to prepare workers for these jobs of the 21st Century. We urge Congress to pass it.

But our efforts must start earlier. The No Child Left Behind Act tests students and holds schools accountable for bringing them to grade level in reading and mathematics, the building blocks of learning.

I disagree with your claim that schools have been "hampered" by the law. Early results have shown rising test scores and a shrinking achievement gap.

We are telling schools that it's no longer acceptable to ignore students who have fallen behind or pass them along from grade to grade. We know how difficult it is to catch up later. And we want every young man and woman to make the very best choices in life so they can achieve their dreams.

Sincerely,

Rod Paige
U.S. Secretary of Education