U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today issued the following statement upon the resignation of Deputy Secretary of Education William D. (Bill) Hansen. Hansen announced that he is resigning effective July 4, 2003.

"Just over two years ago, President Bush assembled a team of individuals to help him achieve one of his highest domestic priorities: making sure every child in America receives a high-quality education and that no child is left behind. Bill has been an integral member of that team.

"Bill is a quiet giant who set a high standard for us all and earned the respect of career and political staff throughout the department. He is a skilled manager, a trusted adviser and a great friend to me. Thanks to his extraordinary efforts, our department is better managed and more accountable than ever before. We're fast becoming a model of management excellence thanks in large part to his fine leadership.

"Bill is a powerful advocate for carrying out our department's core mission of providing our most disadvantaged citizens access to a quality education -- from kindergarten through college. He is a passionate voice for our children and for making sure our resources are invested in programs that will help them achieve their dreams -- a cause he will continue in the private sector. In short, Bill is committed to leaving no child behind.

"Bill and I have discussed his possible departure for some time, but he agreed to stay on board until we wrapped up the immense task of reviewing and approving state accountability plans. His goal now is to spend more time focusing on the most important jobs anyone can hold: husband and father.

"While he's leaving us, I know he'll be just a phone call away. On behalf of President Bush and the entire Department of Education, I thank him for his service. We will miss him."

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