I want to thank my good friend, President Brogan, for that kind introduction. Frank has been a champion of education his whole life. He is a leading advocate for high standards and accountability, and he has dedicated his life to the notion that every child can learn and can succeed in school. Florida and our nation have benefited as a result. His leadership has literally changed the education landscape. Frank, thank you for your hard work and vision.

It is a great pleasure to be here in Florida, and not just because of the snow, sleet, ice and--worst of all--freezing rain to hit Washington, D.C. this week. Your work here is extremely important to the future of our nation.

Today, our nation confronts a two-tiered school system in America. Students who are African American or Hispanic, have special needs or are from low-income families are often left behind. We see this in the most recent scores on the Nation's Report Card, also known as NAEP--the National Assessment of Educational Progress. While there has been some improvement over the last few years, too many of our children are not reading at even the basic level. Most of those left behind are from minority communities or from low-income families. We must close this intolerable gap and raise achievement for all students.

I don't need to tell you about the importance of closing the achievement gap in reading. You know that reading is the foundation, the cornerstone, for virtually all other subjects. If a student cannot read, he or she stands little chance of building the skills needed to participate in our economy or civic life.

This conference focuses on two areas very close to my heart: one, how research can help us learn to better teach children; and two, how to ensure that practitioners are trained to use proven research in the classroom. These two function together. All the evidence-based research in the world is of little help if teachers are not trained to use it in the classroom. And likewise, teaching that is not grounded in methods proven to work can harm a child's development.

The No Child Left Behind education reforms sweeping our nation also highlight the importance of having effective research employed by highly qualified teachers. This conference will help us achieve our nation's goals under No Child Left Behind. Today, I will talk about how we will close the achievement gap and raise achievement levels for all of our students.

Earlier this month we celebrated the second anniversary of No Child Left Behind. This landmark reform has brought revolutionary changes to our education system. All over America, schools are changing to meet the needs of all students.

No Child Left Behind is built on four pillars: the use of proven teaching methods, more choice for parents, accountability for results and increased local control of education.

By following these four principles, our schools have made substantial progress in just two short years. We are taking meaningful actions to close the achievement gap. And we are doing so by raising expectations for all of our students. Let me be clear: No Child Left Behind focuses our attention on those students most in danger of being left behind. But at the same time, No Child Left Behind benefits all students.

Let me give you a few powerful examples of change taking place all across our nation.

All 50 states now have accountability plans in place to show how they will help all children learn to read and do math at their grade level. When I first arrived at the Department, I found that prior to No Child Left Behind, only 11 states had created such plans. The vast majority either had not complied or had been granted waivers--essentially disregarding previous accountability systems put in place by Congress and demanded by the public.

Our children are now being tested annually in math and reading. As a result, teachers have new information to tailor instruction to meet every child's needs. Administrators can make better-informed decisions targeting resources. And parents can better evaluate their child's progress and the effectiveness of their schools.

Low-income parents whose children attend schools that are in need of improvement have new options. They can choose better-performing public schools. Or, if they are financially eligible, they can choose extra tutoring for their child at no additional cost.

Under No Child Left Behind, every child in America will be taught by a teacher with proven mastery of his or her subject. That means that teachers will no longer need to worry about being forced to teach a subject in which they do not have expertise.

These changes are fueled by more federal education funding than ever before. Since taking office, President Bush has increased federal support for education by 36 percent. In President Bush's first two years alone, funding for low-income students under Title I increased more than it did under the entire last administration.

And the president and Congress have dedicated more money than ever before to teachers. In all, the federal government is providing more than $3 billion to recruit, train and retain the most capable teaching force in the history of our nation.

Despite all these successes, some people remain defiant. Much of this resistance comes from those who have a stake in preserving the status quo. Some of it comes from those who believe that black or Hispanic children, or children who come from foreign countries, or special needs children are not as capable of their peers.

But those of us who support No Child Left Behind should welcome the debate.

That's because the debate today is radically different from what it was just a few short years ago. Then, there was no national dialogue about standards and accountability, teacher quality or closing the achievement gap.

Back then, these issues never took center stage. Back then, the achievement gap was too often thought of as someone else's problem. It was swept under the rug. Ignored.

All of this has changed now. Our nation is focused like never before on the education of our young people.

We cannot afford to go back.

That's why 100 black and Hispanic superintendents went on record urging Congress to stand behind No Child Left Behind. That's why many of the nation's top business leaders signed a letter asking us to stay the course. That's why Republicans and Democrats came together in support of this law and still stand together today.

As I travel the nation, I hear from countless parents, teachers and children who can testify to the positive impact of No Child Left Behind.

Nowhere is the impact of No Child Left Behind more clear than in literacy and reading. President Bush has made improving reading one of his highest priorities. Under his leadership, Congress created two new reading programs, Reading First and Early Reading First. Together, they represent our nation's greatest commitment to childhood literacy. These programs are based on methods proven to work. And they are well-funded. Reading First has already received more than $1.8 billion in funding, with another $200 million going to early childhood reading. Already, Reading First has helped train 45,000 teachers across the nation in proven instructional methods, and we are increasing that number week by week. This teaching force is now on the move, helping to close the achievement gap one child at a time.

Our goal with Reading First is to have all children show up for their first day of fourth grade ready to tackle fourth-grade material. We don't want these children to need remedial education later on. We want them to be well-prepared early in life with the skills they need for continued success.

To reach this goal, No Child Left Behind recognizes the importance of scientifically based research. It insists on five proven components of effective reading instruction:

• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Text Comprehension

We focus on these areas because these have all been proven effective through extensive study. This administration has brought research to the forefront--where it belongs. Life and health in America have been profoundly improved over the past 50 years by the use of rigorous research methods to determine which medical practices work. We should hold education practices to the same rigorous research standards.

Let me give you two examples of how we are helping to do this at the federal level. Under No Child Left Behind, the Department of Education created the Institute of Education Sciences to put a stronger focus on scientific research. It will help advance the field of education research, making it more rigorous in support of evidence-based education. Russ Whitehurst, the head of the Institute, is a model researcher--a researcher's researcher--and has done an outstanding job focusing reform efforts on high-quality and proven research.

The Department of Education has also established what we call the "What Works Clearinghouse." The clearinghouse provides a central, trusted and independent source of what really works in education. It should be a first stop for educators, policy-makers and parents looking to avoid fads and make sure that children receive effective instruction.

Ideally, research should become the driving force of change, with dynamic interactions between university students, teachers in the field, researchers, policy-makers, parents, school administrators and students themselves. Education will become more exciting, relevant and inspirational if we concentrate on learning more about how our students learn.

I understand that there are many K-12 educators here with us today. I have two words for you: thank you.

Most of us can remember a favorite teacher. I had two favorite teachers: my parents. By day, they taught other children in Monticello, Mississippi. But on nights and weekends, they taught my sisters, brothers and me. Books filled our house and so did love. Their example inspired me to become a teacher as well.

And it was while working in the classroom that I discovered the truth in the words of World War II General Omar Bradley, who said: "The teacher is the real soldier of democracy. Others can defend it, but only he can make it work."

Very few people have the influence over our lives that teachers do. Research studies have found that no matter the circumstances of a child's upbringing, teachers can overcome it and make a real difference to a child. That's why No Child Left Behind includes such strong support for teachers.

One of the most important provisions of No Child Left Behind is its bold call for every classroom in America to have a highly qualified teacher by 2006. The administration is working hard to help states, school districts and teachers meet this worthy challenge.

Like all great challenges, it won't be easy. It's going to take all of us doing things differently. Schools of education must increase the rigor of their curricula with more subject-matter coursework. States need to lower the barriers to entry into the classroom of more qualified mid-career professionals. We must continue to support innovative recruitment programs--such as Troops to Teachers and Teach for America--to attract the best and brightest to this noble profession.

And you know, we should pay teachers more--especially teachers willing to take on harder assignments in tougher schools, teachers willing to mentor their colleagues, teachers demonstrating great success in the classroom. I'm a big fan of the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), which is working with schools in several states to offer higher salaries to teachers in return for greater responsibility and accountability. In one TAP district, the program is so successful that teachers in schools on the more affluent side of town are actually flocking to the schools in the poorer side of town.

The administration is working hard to help teachers enhance their skills and to take positions in our schools that need them most. A recent report found that there is a teacher quality gap, where minority and special needs students have a disproportionate share of new teachers or teachers who are teaching a subject that is not in their area of expertise. Another report found that low-income and minority children are twice as likely to be taught by an uncertified teacher.

Many districts are understaffed and have high turnover rates. Smart, creative recruiting methods by urban school districts can help by attracting many highly qualified candidates. But there is data to indicate that as many as 60 percent of these candidates withdraw because of delayed hiring deadlines. That is both a shame and an outrage.

Clearly, school districts must hire earlier and institute other reforms to retain highly qualified teachers. I have urged school districts to revise teacher notification requirements, to reform collective bargaining transfer requirements and to develop budgets earlier.

At the federal level, we are doing our part. President Bush has proposed expanded recruitment incentives--now up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness--to attract math, science and special education teachers to our nation's neediest schools. We created a multi-billion dollar initiative to help states support teacher recruitment, training and mentoring. We have provided tax relief to teachers to help cover their out-of-pocket expenses for classroom supplies and activities. And we have demonstrated our respect for the challenges of this noble profession by working to create a safe environment and by including in No Child Left Behind protection for teachers from frivolous lawsuits.

Many teachers get their start at our schools of education. I was dean of the college of education at Texas Southern University. I understand the important role that colleges of education must play in improving education.

It is absolutely critical that teachers coming out of our nation's schools of education be armed with the skills and deep content knowledge they need to teach effectively. Their teaching should be based on proven methods. And it is imperative that leading research institutions, such as this one, continue to bring together researchers and practitioners for meaningful interactions.

This is one of the most exciting times for our colleges of education. All over America, our education system is being transformed. Our teachers colleges must not be insulated from these changes. You have the opportunity to drive that change, to embrace reform and to mobilize a new generation of highly trained, dedicated and knowledgeable teachers.

Florida Atlantic University must be at the leading edge of the revolution. I ask that you continue to build upon your innovative research, your teacher preparation and your work within the Florida community. Prepare teachers with deep knowledge of their subjects. Train them well for the challenges of managing a classroom from day one. Reject fads and rely on teaching methods proven to work. Create an army of highly qualified teachers accepting of the challenge that lies before them. Help them find teaching positions in every community, especially those where the need is greatest.

And I ask you to embrace the goals of No Child Left Behind. We can close the achievement gap. We can raise academic achievement for all. But it will take a team effort. Teachers, administrators, colleges of education, parents, public officials at the local, state and national levels--we are all very much a part of this team. We must be working together toward the same goal.

When President Kennedy challenged America to put a man on the moon, it took an army of scientists, engineers and astronauts to send him hurtling through space and bring him safely home. He inspired a generation to dream, to aspire. Those who answered the call believed that nothing is impossible. No setbacks, no obstacles, no lack of knowledge would keep them from their goal.

Today, No Child Left Behind calls on us once again to dream and aspire. And it calls to all of us to set aside our differences, to overcome doubts, and to believe that all children can learn.

Each one of you can help improve our national education system. You are poised to lead our nation into the future. By focusing your work this week on improving literacy, you are advancing the goals of No Child Left Behind. I thank you for accepting the challenge of educating every child. This is our mission and the defining moment of our time. We must succeed, and through your efforts, we will.

Thank you.

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