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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release April 21, 1993

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

I am pleased to transmit today for your immediate consideration and enactment the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act."

This legislation strives to support States, local communities, schools, business and industry, and labor in reinventing our education system so that all Americans can reach internationally competitive standards, and our Nation can reach the National Education Goals. Also transmitted is a section-bysection analysis.

Education is and always has been primarily a State responsibility. States have always been the "laboratories of democracy." This has been especially true in education over the past decades. The lessons we have learned from the collective work of States, local education agencies, and individual schools are incorporated in Goals 2000 and provide the basis for a new partnership between the Federal Government, States, parents, business, labor, schools, communities, and students. This new partnership is not one of mandates, but of cooperation and leadership.

The "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" is designed to promote a long-term direction for the improvement of education and lifelong learning and to provide a framework and resources to help States and others interested in education strengthen, accelerate, and sustain their own improvement efforts. Goals 2000 will:

Set into law the six National Education Goals and establish a bipartisan National Education Goals Panel to report on progress toward achieving the goals;
Develop voluntary academic standards and assessments that are meaningful, challenging, and appropriate for all students through the National Education Standards and Improvement Council;
Identify the conditions of learning and teaching necessary to ensure that all students have the opportunity to meet high standards;
Establish a National Skill Standards Board to promote the development and adoption of occupational standards to ensure that American workers are among the best trained in the world;
Help States and local communities involve public officials, teachers, parents, students, and business leaders in designing and reforming schools; and
Increase flexibility for States and school districts by waiving regulations and other requirements that might impede reforms.

                                                    (OVER)
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       Though voluntary, the pursuit of these goals must be

the work of our Nation as a whole. Ten years ago this month, A Nation At Risk was released. Its warnings still ring true. It is time to act boldly. It is time to rekindle the dream that good schools offer.

I urge the Congress to take prompt and favorable action on this legislation.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

April 21, 1993.

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