ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug. 15 — President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige celebrated the first day of school at Griegos Elementary School by launching Back to School, Moving Forward—Secretary Paige's cross-country back-to-school tour promoting accountability for our elementary and secondary schools. The president and secretary toured an elementary school with a strong record of academic improvement and spoke with students, parents, teachers and community leaders assembled to mark the students' first day of school. Secretary Paige also unveiled the first of three back-to- school publications from the Department of Education and gave copies to families at the school.

"President Bush introduced his vision for strengthening our system of education during his first days in Washington, D.C.," Paige said. "We've made great strides since then, and as students return to classrooms around the country, I will be working to make sure that our families, schools and communities are ready to pursue the far-reaching reforms that he has proposed."

Secretary Paige, Deputy Secretary of Education William Hansen and Under Secretary of Education Eugene W. Hickok will visit schools and talk with civic and business groups around the country as part of the Back to School, Moving Forward tour. The tour will continue with visits to: Atlanta; Denver; Kansas City, Mo.; Long Beach, Calif.; Nashville, Tenn.; Orlando, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh, N.C.; and San Diego and will conclude on Sept. 7.

As Paige and other senior education officials visit with students and teachers in classrooms throughout the nation, they will also meet with business and community leaders to discuss their roles in building an education system that holds our schools accountable for improving the performance of all students. As part of Back to School, Moving Forward, Paige will introduce parents, schools and members of the community to three new publications from the Department of Education that explain how each group can help to bring accountability for results to our classrooms and improve student performance so that no child is left behind. The publication unveiled at Griegos Elementary School is being released today in English and in Spanish and tells parents how they can play a meaningful role in improving our nation's schools.

Accountability for results is one of the four main principles of President Bush's No Child Left Behind plan for comprehensive education reform. The other principles for reform include local control and flexibility, expanded parental choice, and doing what works.

"As we start a new school year, it is time for us to reach out to parents, educators, and community and business leaders to engage them our plans to create a system of schools that fulfills President Bush's promise that no child will be left behind," Paige said. "President Bush and I know that change must take place at the local level, and we look to families, schools and communities to bring about that change through high standards, annual measurement and accountability for results. As our children return to school to capture the promise of new opportunities to learn and grow, we must embrace these simple principles for reform."

Copies of the new Back to School, Moving Forward publications for families, schools and communities and information regarding Back to School, Moving Forward activities will be posted on the Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov/inits/backtoschool/.

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