A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

  FOR RELEASE: 1 p.m. EST      Contact:  Kerri Morgan (202) 401-3026 February 28, 1996            Rick Miller 1-(800) SKY-GRAM (#211-9840)

"There is a growing debate about how we educate our children," he said. "On one side, are those who believe you can prepare for the future by cutting education today, who see little value in public education, who seek quite literally to abolish it as an institution. This view is, to my mind, too narrow, too divisive, too fond of bashing teachers, too quick to tear down, rather than build up. I disagree with that vision. The politics of blame and exploiting people's legitimate anxieties has never served America well, and it is so wrong when it comes to the education of our children." Eighty-nine percent of American children attend public schools.

Riley conceded that public education has problems, but said, "More than a debate, we need action -- a lot more of that old fashioned American 'can do' spirit that brings out the best in all of us."

To address what he called "the most urgent task," he announced a new national partnership "dedicated to the single goal of improving reading and writing in America."

Citing projections that school enrollments will reach an all-time high this fall, Riley also raised several other challenges: to empower parents, to make schools safer, to expand effective innovation and access to technology, to raise academic standards, to prepare young people for jobs, and to assure opportunities for higher education.

Riley's assessment came in his third annual State of American Education address, presented at suburban Maplewood-Richmond Heights High School.

Riley said a new national reading and writing partnership will bring together about two dozen organizations "to encourage America to open a book." The partnership complements the Read*Write*Now initiative of the Family Involvement Partnership in Learning, a nation wide effort with more than 200 member organizations.

Noting that "strong families make for strong schools," Riley said we must "give parents the power and time to help their children learn more." He cited efforts in the St. Louis area to involve businesses and churches with schools and said parents should "slow down your lives. Volunteer in school. Above all, stay connected to your children."

He also stressed the importance of safe, orderly and disciplined schools. Following President Clinton's lead, Riley said school uniforms may be a way to "create a better atmosphere."

Riley defended the Goals 2000 school improvement initiative and called for a bipartisan effort to raise academic standards, noting that, "We will only win the battle for excellence if we have excellent teachers. Our schools need to get and hold the best teachers and be willing to weed out bad teachers, to help inexperienced but talented teachers get better, and to reward schools that get results."

Riley said bringing libraries and classrooms on-line is "a national mission, as important as sending men to the Moon," but he said that must be "just one step in a growing effort to move American education into the future."

Education needs to "open up," he said, citing public school choice, schools-within-schools, and the charter school movement as examples. He said that, as part of his next budget, President Clinton will ask Congress for "venture capital" to create additional charter schools. Operating under a public charter, these schools are encouraged to innovate and seek new ways of increasing student achievement. The Education Department currently funds a $6 million charter school demonstration project.

Riley said he opposes taking taxpayers' dollars out of public schools for private school vouchers, but said he favors removing restrictions on the use of federal Title I funds placed on private and parochial schools by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1985 Aguilar v. Felton decision.

Riley expressed deep concern that private school vouchers would destroy public schools and also fundamentally change the nature of private schools by making them accountable to the public.

Noting that the average income for high school graduates has been declining over the past 20 years, Riley said, "Good paying jobs require more of an education, and that education has to start earlier and be more demanding." He cited apprenticeships, career academies and tech preps as examples of ways to better prepare students for higher-wage jobs.

Riley called on colleges and universities to "hold the line" on tuition and urged the Congress to maintain funding for student loans and grants. He renewed his call to expand the Direct Student Loan program and voiced support for President Clinton's merit scholarship, work study and tuition tax deduction proposals.

Riley concluded his address with a call for common ground.

"Our task is not to retreat to our own separate racial, ethnic, cultural or political interest group, but rather to do the hard work of learning to come together for the good of all our children," he said.

"We know how to create good schools. Now, is the time to get the job done -- to roll-up our sleeves -- to recapture that pioneer spirit of working together to make America's schools bastions of hope, creativity and learning."