U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today reacted to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's assertions that the historic, bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, which is designed to close the achievement gap in America, is somehow burdensome and impractical:

"In his comments today, Mayor Daley argues that No Child Left Behind is burdensome and impractical. Unfortunately, he chooses to focus on how "tough" this law is for the adults in the system, rather than on how this powerful, bipartisan law will help the children who need it most. On behalf of the millions of children who will benefit from the No Child Left Behind Act, I respectfully disagree with his assertions that the law is impractical.

"No one said the implementation of this law would be easy. Change rarely is. As a former superintendent in one of the largest school districts in the country, I know how tough it can be to make tough decisions about tough requirements. But the alternative is to continue to ignore the achievement gap and deny children the educational opportunities they deserve.

"Our entire nation, and that includes Chicago, must do more to help the millions of children who have been left behind. The school district has to find ways to make the law work. It can and must be done, as it is being done in large cities and small towns around the country.

"States and cities received ample notice about the many important provisions of the law. They’ve also received considerable flexibility and record levels of new money to help get the job done.

"In an unprecedented way, I’ve directed my staff to work with states and school districts to help answer questions about the law and discuss innovative ways to implement it. Indeed, just two weeks ago, my senior staff met with the leadership of the Chicago public schools to discuss ways the city can expand opportunities for children. For example, the district can use its record federal dollars to offer tutoring services earlier; create more charter schools; or use technology to expand opportunities for children.

"No Child Left Behind requires schools to educate all of their students. If the schools can’t do this, parents may apply to move their children to a school that is successfully doing its job. And, districts can offer tutoring and supplemental services to give students the extra help they need.

"According to the district, parents of 18,000 children have requested the opportunity to choose another school that better meets their educational needs. Mayor Daley argues that because only 1,300 students can be accommodated, the law is flawed. I would say that the mayor is misdirected: Instead of focusing on the logistical issues of placing the 1,300 children in other schools, the mayor should hear the voices of the 18,000 children and their families who are crying out for help.

"I also take issue with his arguments about funding. The Bush administration has raised the level of federal funding for education to historic levels. Federal taxpayers already have kicked in millions more for teacher training, reading, special-needs students, and many other programs. In Chicago alone, funding for Title I has increased from $166 million two years ago to $240.8 million this year, an increase of 45 percent.

"I would prefer that the mayor look for solutions instead of initiating a blame-game that will get us nowhere. My office stands ready to continue to work toward solutions within the framework of the law. That is where we should devote all of our energy."

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