THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 5, 1995 TAG: 9506010020
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Another View
SOURCE: By JAMES P. JONES
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Virginia has a long commitment to excellence in education. Some of its public elementary and secondary schools are among the best in the country. Still, at the State Board of Education we often hear the concern that today's students are learning less than their parents learned in school. In fact, many of our schools and students are performing as well as ever.
Doing ``as well as ever'' is no longer good enough, however. Our educational performance has not kept pace with the rising demands in the workplace. A recent national survey found that while 65 percent of parents and pupils think today's students are learning to write well, less than 15 percent of business and colleges agree with that assessment.
Continuous improvement should be our No. 1 task. We should set high standards for all students and expect them to meet those standards in such areas as math, science, languages and the arts.
It takes money, however, to have top-quality public schools. Right now, Virginia state and local governments are facing financial challenges, and finding additional money for improvement of our schools is difficult. Up to $14 million in financial help is available to Virginia through Goals 2000, a program of federal assistance to individual schools, school districts and state departments of education to help schools raise their standards. Congress has appropriated $403 million in 1995, 90 percent of which will go to individual schools to develop and pursue their own continuous improvements to move every child toward high standards.
Goals 2000 began as an initiative of former President Bush. In 1989, President Bush held the first education summit of the nation's governors in Charlottesville. At this meeting, the president and governors agreed on national goals for education. At present, these goals are:
School readiness. All children in America will start school ready to learn.
Increased graduation rate. The high-school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent.
Improved student achievement. All students in America will be competent in the core academic subjects.
Best in math and science. U.S. students will be the first in the world in mathematics and science.
Adult literacy and lifelong learning. Every adult American will be literate and possess the skills necessary to compete in the economy of the 21st century.
Safe, disciplined and drug-free schools. Every school in America will be safe, disciplined and drug-free.
Teacher education and professional development. All teachers will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills needed to prepare U.S. students for the next century.
Parental involvement. Every school will promote parental involvement in children's education.
These goals are ones that I think a majority of Virginians support.
Goals 2000 recognizes that there is no simple, ``cookie-cutter'' approach to improving education. The act states that ``the responsibility for control of education is reserved to the states and local school systems.'' Since this country was founded, education has been a state and local issue and should remain so. Goals 2000 is an opportunity for us; it is not a means of federal control of our schools. Virginia already receives close to $400 million in federal aid for our schools. All of this money has not led to loss of control of our schools. Goals 2000 will not change this situation.
The national goals were originally the initiative of a Republican president and both Democratic and Republican governors, and the Goals 2000 Act passed with strong bipartisan support and the endorsement of every major national business, parent and education organization. Education is everyone's concern; it should not become a partisan issue.
The Goals 2000 money can be used to help schools and communities redesign any part of the school system - the curriculum, technology, parental involvement, professional development of teachers - around clear, high standards.
To date, 46 states, under the leadership of both Republican and Democratic governors and legislatures, have already recognized how Goals 2000 can help their communities strengthen their schools. We have no resource more precious than our children. We cannot afford to let any opportunity pass to strengthen Virginia schools.
Nothing is more important than the future of our children. The best way to ensure a good future is to give children the best possible education. Goals 2000 is an opportunity to move closer to the best possible education for all the young people of Virginia. MEMO: Mr. Jones is chairman of the state Board of Education
by CNB