U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today joined Missouri Commissioner of Education Dr. D. Kent King for a meeting with the State Board of Education in Jefferson City, Mo., where she delivered remarks and discussed how the Federal government can support and facilitate further academic gains made by Missouri students under No Child Left Behind. Secretary Spellings applauded Missouri's efforts to increase accountability and discussed opportunities for improvement and innovation under No Child Left Behind.

"Missouri is helping raise the bar by setting high standards and developing a strong data system that honestly and accurately looks at student achievement and helps target federal resources to serve the neediest students," said Secretary Spellings. "Six years after No Child Left Behind changed the education game in this nation, we can be proud of where it has brought us. The law's core principles now guide our conversation on education, and now is the time to build on the momentum."

At the State Board of Education meeting, Secretary Spellings discussed the State's key No Child Left Behind indicators. Missouri is making gains under No Child Left Behind with an increase in math achievement in grades 3 through 8 and reading achievement in grades 3 through 6.

Secretary Spellings noted opportunities for improvement that could help build on Missouri's progress such as adjusting the n-size to ensure students with disabilities and limited English proficiency do not slip through the cracks. Secretary Spellings also emphasized the need to equip every child with a highly qualified education and that as a nation we must find ways to address now consensus areas such as growth models to allow schools to measure individual student performance over time; a more nuanced accountability system to distinguish between schools missing performance goals across the board and those who come within range; take more aggressive steps to address and improve high school graduation rates; ensure that more eligible students are taking advantage of free tutoring; and do a better job of recruiting and preparing good teachers and getting them in to schools where they are needed most.

Last month, Secretary Spellings marked the sixth anniversary of No Child Left Behind with President Bush in Chicago, where he charged her with visiting States to discuss how the Federal government can work together with States to help them move forward under No Child Left Behind. Following her visit to Missouri, Secretary Spellings will continue the dialogue on No Child Left Behind and priorities for 2008 next week with trips to Oklahoma and Texas.

For Mapping America's Educational Progress 2008, visit http://www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/results/progress/nation.html.

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