May 21, 1998

Mr. President, there are many things about my home state of Connecticut that are a source of great pride to its people, but few are greater than the overall quality of our state's public schools. Connecticut students are performing at the highest levels in the nation on federally sponsored standardized tests. Three out of four Connecticut public school students go on to pursue higher education. And our public school students have outperformed students from private and parochial schools in our state.

Many people have contributed to the quality of our public schools, in particular our parents and students. But the backbone of Connecticut's public schools is its teachers. In my view, they are the finest in the country, and there are numbers that back me up. More than 80 percent of Connecticut's public school teachers have advanced degrees, the highest percentage in the country. They are among the nation's most experienced teachers, with the average teacher having taught for more than 15 years. And the greatest testament to the quality of their teaching is the accomplishments of Connecticut's students.

One organization, more than any other, has worked to ensure that Connecticut's children are taught by the finest teachers in the country, and that organization is the Connecticut Education Association (CEA).

The CEA is a membership organization that represents nearly 30,000 elementary and secondary public school teachers in our state. Through the years, the CEA has consistently promoted the value of public education, encouraged public awareness of the resources needed to provide quality education, and emphasized the importance of the teacher in the education process.

This is a significant year for the CEA: it celebrates its 150th anniversary. Over the past century and a half, the Association has been a consistent champion of children, teachers, and public education, and today, its voice on education issues is as strong as ever. There is no job more important than teaching our children, and I would like to thank and congratulate the Connecticut Education Association for a job well done. I wish them all the best as they celebrate this anniversary and continued success in the future.