George Bush last week told a gathering of some 240 teachers that he had invited them to his inauguration and made his address to them the first official inaugural event to underscore his commitment to be the 鈥渆ducation President.鈥�
鈥淭wo days before I begin trying, I wanted you to know that I meant it,鈥� he said at a special forum here Jan. 18. 鈥淓ducation will be on my desk and on my mind right from the start, every day.鈥�
The forum, held in Washington鈥檚 new Museum of Women in the Arts, was one of several events highlighting education during the most costly and lavish Presidential inauguration in American history--and the first ever to give educators and their role such prominence.
Mr. Bush left it to Secretary of Education Lauro F. Cavazos to outline portions of his Administration鈥檚 education policy and offer some details about implementation of his proposed 鈥渕erit schools鈥� program.
Instead, Mr. Bush鈥檚 speech focused on extolling the importance of education--and particularly of teachers.
鈥淓ducation is the key to our very competitiveness in the future as a nation and to our soul as a people,鈥� he said. 鈥淭eaching should be afforded as much respect as any profession in America.鈥�
Good News for Skeptics?
Former Gov. John H. Sununu of New Hampshire, now Mr. Bush鈥檚 chief of staff, also affirmed the President-elect鈥檚 commitment.
鈥淚 assure you that in his public comments, George Bush reflects exactly the same kind of interest, the same kind of commitment that he gives to this issue in private discussions,鈥� Mr. Sununu said. 鈥淚 suggest to you that those skeptics who didn鈥檛 feel that this was going to go a long way after the election are going to be pleasantly surprised.鈥�
The speakers鈥� remarks prompted varied responses from the teachers who were attending the inaugural as Mr. Bush鈥檚 guests, ranging from skepticism to enthusiastic support. Many expressed a little of both.
鈥淚鈥檓 an optimist. I believe that this is a sincere effort,鈥� said Jeanine Cudd, a Baldwin, Mo., teacher who had backed Mr. Bush in the Presidential campaign. 鈥淏ut words are easy. We鈥檒l see how the actions come out.鈥�
Access and Accountiblility
Mr. Cavazos said the Education Department鈥檚 focus during the Bush Administration would be on 鈥渆xpectations, access, and accountability.鈥�
The Secretary said he would work to ensure that students and schools are held to high standards, that all young people have access to a good education, and that students and parents, as well as educators, are held accountable for results.
He argued that teachers should help develop certification and evaluation systems.
鈥淲e will expect teachers to be responsible and accountable for their educational programs,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ecause we will urge that they participate in the decisions about the educational programs they teach.鈥�
While acknowledging that the Education Department鈥檚 budget is a 鈥減owerful tool,鈥� Mr. Cavazos stressed his view that Washington鈥檚 most important role lies in 鈥渦sing the considerable resources of the federal government to share with the entire nation what we learn from your own successes and failures from day to day in teaching pupils and managing schools.鈥�
He pledged to emphasize the dissemination of proven ideas in such areas as curriculum development, dropout prevention, parental choice, and early-childhood intervention.
鈥楳erit Schools鈥� Plan
Mr. Cavazos indicated that the first of Mr. Bush鈥檚 campaign pledges to be fleshed out is likely to be the merit-schools plan, which would reward successful schools selected by the states.
鈥淚n judging merit,鈥� he said, 鈥渨e expect the states will want to look at such results as test scores; college-participation rates; successful employment of graduates; and, of critical importance, success in improving school participation and performance of the disadvantaged and the handicapped.鈥�
鈥淚 want to help shape a merit-schools program that places a special emphasis on reducing dropout rates,鈥� added Mr. Cavazos, who has made dropout-prevention a favorite theme during his first four months in office.
Promoting Parental Choice
The Secretary also reiterated Mr. Bush鈥檚 commitment to promoting parental choice. The President-elect has asked the Education Department to monitor local and state 鈥渆xperiments鈥� in that area, he noted, 鈥渁nd we will do that in the interest of achieving better public schools.鈥�
鈥淲here appropriate, we will encourage innovative choice programs with financial incentives, such as awards to magnet schools and grant competitions under programs like the Fund for the Improvement and Reform of Schools and Teaching,鈥� Mr. Cavazos said.
Another emphasis will be on early-childhood education, he suggested, indicating that the Bush Administration will seek to 鈥渆xpand鈥� existing programs and 鈥渄evelop others with the states.鈥�
鈥淲e need to develop significant4programs that result in the education of children. We must combine that with day care,鈥� Mr. Cavazos added.
The Secretary said he planned to continue the practice of releasing an annual 鈥渨all chart鈥� of state statistics, which he hopes to expand into a report for the President 鈥渙n the state of education in America.鈥�
