THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

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|  PRESIDENT CLINTON HONORS BLUE-RIBBON SCHOOLS AND CALLS ON CONGRESS  |
|     TO INVEST IN TARGETED STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION     |
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|                           October 28, 1999                           |
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In a speech today to parents, teachers and principals from award-winning elementary schools, President Clinton will underscore the Administration's strategy for improving public education by reducing class size, turning around failing schools and making other targeted investments in our children. Pointing to the world-class education that Blue Ribbon Schools provide, the President will remind Americans that the budget debate is not just about how much we spend on education but how wisely we spend it. Finally, he will emphasize that the current Republican education appropriations bill undermines the improvements our nation's public schools need.

EXCELLENCE THROUGH SMALLER CLASSES AND MORE ACCOUNTABILITY. President Clinton today will call on Congress to support excellence in public education by investing in proven strategies for reform. As he honors the winners of the 1999 Blue Ribbon Schools Awards, the President will emphasize that targeting our education dollars -- on 100,000 highly-qualified teachers to reduce class sizes, and on turning around schools that are failing -- is the best way to achieve results.

Blue Ribbon Schools are tangible proof of the effectiveness of high standards, school accountability and targeted investment. These 266 schools from urban, rural and suburban communities in 37 states have demonstrated sustained success over time or have overcome obstacles to make significant advances in student achievement. The Blue Ribbon Schools Awards were established in 1982.

REPUBLICAN EDUCATION BILL FAILS TO MAKE THESE KEY INVESTMENTS IN WHAT WORKS. President Clinton will note that the Republican education appropriations bill shortchanges children and teachers by gutting the class size reduction initiative and failing to provide funds to turn around failing schools. The bill also underfunds after-school and summer school programs and underinvests in the recruitment and training of high-quality teachers. The President believes that the prosperity generated by years of fiscal discipline and the hard work of the American people should be invested wisely in their top priorities. Unfortunately, Republican plans continue to defy common sense and the public interest. The Republican education spending bill:

• Reneges on the class size reduction initiative that both parties agreed to last fall, and provides no guarantee that the 29,000 teachers hired for this year can continue teaching in smaller classes throughout the country. It also provides no funding for the additional 8,000 teachers the President's plan would support this year.
• Fails to hold low-performing schools accountable for results by not funding the President's plan for a $200 million Title I accountability fund to fix schools identified as failing. The President believes that we must invest more in our schools and demand more from them. The current appropriations bill does not provide funding for turning around failing schools.
• Underfunds after-school and summer school programs, denying at least 800,000 students access to a safe place to learn during the after school hours when most juvenile crime and drug and alcohol abuse occur.
• Undercuts efforts to improve teacher quality, by shortchanging teacher quality and recruitment programs, and eliminating the successful Troops to Teachers program that enables retired military personnel to teach in high-need areas.
• Underinvests in the GEAR-UP program and in education technology, denying more that 130,000 disadvantaged young people the help they need to get into college, and undermining crucial investments in education technology.

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