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ACHIEVER EDUCATION
Permit NO. G-17

October 15, 2002 • Vol. 1, No. 3 FIRST CLASS

“When it comes to
the education of our
children...failure is
not an option.”
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

NEW PROGRAM!
N e w s Y o u C a n U se
with the
toric, new era in education
ignifying the start of a his ucation

S the U.S. Departm ent of Ed

No Child Left Behind Act, s un der stand the
series to help parent
is airing a new television bri ng . Ed uca tion
rtant changes that it will
new law and all the impo me nt’ s Sat ellite
es the place of the depart
News Parents Can Use tak s sig na tur e
p many of its predecessor’
Town Meeting and will kee l-ins and lively dis cussion.
viewer cal
features—the live format, including
, features brief segments,
The new program, however re video and
ne interv iew s, “ho w-to” demonstrations, mo
on e-o n-o ors, commu-
ph ics, an d brief con ver sations with parents, educat
gra erts.
s leaders, and education exp
nity, business and religiou rd Tu esd ay of each
uca tion Ne ws wil l bro adc ast on the thi
Ed for the entire
year. A schedule of topics
month during the school eve nt.ed.gov. In
ilable at http://register
2002–03 school year is ava wil l be available
webcasts of each show
addition, live and archived
ents/edtownmeetings.
at www.connectlive.com/ev your com-
watch Education News in
To find out how you can SA -LEARN
V@ed.gov, or call 1-800-U
munity, e-mail Education.T
(872-5327).
 THE

ACHIEVER www.NoChildLeftBehind.gov • October 15, 2002 • Vol. 1, No. 3

New ED Offices to Support Parent Involvement

It will also coordinate with the Office of Elementary and

U
.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige last month
announced the formation of a new office at the
U.S. Department of Education that will support the
crucial role of parents in improving their children’s schools.
The Office of Innovation and Improvement is intended to
be an entrepreneurial arm of the department, making strategic
investments in promising practices and widely disseminating
their results. It will also lead the movement for greater parental
options and information in education, and will free other
offices to focus on their core missions.
The Office of Innovation and Improvement will consoli-
date programs related to parental options and education,
including those for charter schools, magnet schools, public
school choice, non-public education and family educational
rights.
Secondary Education to implement the public school choice
and supplemental services provisions of the new No Child Left
Behind Act.
Paige also announced the formation of the Office of Safe
and Drug-Free Schools, which will include, among other
initiatives, activities related to building strong character and
citizenship, and will take the leadership role in the Education
Department’s homeland security efforts.
For more information, visit www.ed.gov/PressReleases/
09-2002/09172002.html or call 1-800-USA-LEARN.
“It bears emphasizing, that what we’re offering parents is
choice—an option, not an obligation. What they do with it is
up to them and them alone,” said Secretary Paige.

se’
‘The Freedom to Choo
ngton,
” address delivered in Washi
n his annual “Back-to-School pro vem ents

I ge explained the im
D.C., on Sept. 9, Secretary Pai No Ch ild Lef t
y thanks to the
in education that are underwa cat ion , rea din g
s affecting special edu
Behind Act, including change add ressed
school safety. Paige also
instruction, teacher quality and ted
s’ options in the remarks excerp
the need for increasing parent
below. ht
international coalition to fig
“… Even while building an nal
ilding a bipartisan congressio
terror, the President was bu
ools.
coalition to improve our sch —
The result was the No Ch ild Left Behind Act of 2001
bo th ho use s of
both parties in
a remarkable consensus by now
tim e for fundamental change—
Congress that now is the all of ou r
past and educate
is the time to break with the of
or of their skin or the accent
children—no matter the col
their speech.
gave us the framework to
The No Child Left Behind Act upon
. The framework was built
reform American education con trol
ntability and results; local
the great principles of accou

continued on page 2

Photography by
Jerry Jackson
 1
continued from page
U.S. Department of Education
and flexibility; increased choices for and schools do not improve, then
The Achiever is published by the Office of parents; quality teachers in every class- moms and dads have new options.
Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs, room; and teaching methods based They can choose one-on-one
U.S. Department of Education (ED).
upon solid research. tutoring, or after-school help, or they
Secretary of Education
And President can enroll their chil-
Rod Paige Bush made sure we dren in better public
got enough schools.
Assistant Secretary resources to get Many local par-
Laurie M. Rich
the job done. He ents in Cleveland
Senior Director
provided historic chose vouchers. And
John McGrath levels of funding. the U.S. Supreme
We have the Court gave them—and
Executive Editor largest education families nationwide—a
Sarah Pfeifer budget for disad- great victory by
vantaged chil- Paige at the N upholding their right to
Editor ational Press
Nicole Ashby dren in U.S. He reported th Club. make that choice.
at the Educat
history. And we Department ha ion It bears emphasiz-
s the largest bu
Contributor have nearly for disadvanta dget ing, that what we’re
ged children in
Adam Honeysett history. Nearly U.S.
$1 billion in $1 billion in fu offering parents is
has been earm nding
funding this arked for the choice—an option, not
Designer President’s Re
year for the ading First initi an obligation. What they
Jason Salas Design atives.
President’s do with it is up to them
Questions or comments: Reading First initiatives. These and them alone. Parents
Editor are remarkable levels of funding to of children in low-performing schools,
The Achiever ensure that every child in America’s for example, may choose to transfer.
U.S. Department of Education schools learns the one skill on which all Or they may choose to stay put, and
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Room 5E217
others depend: Reading. work to make the school better.
Washington, DC 20202 Our new education reforms make It’s their decision. What’s impor-
Fax: 202-205-0676 the best use of every tax dollar spent tant is that they have the freedom to
NoChildLeftBehind@ed.gov on education by funding programs that choose. …”
follow good research, and by insisting For the webcast or transcript of the
Subscriptions and address on accountability and results. In that Secretary’s speech, visit www.ed.gov/
changes:
way, taxpayers know what they’re get- Speeches/09-2002/09092002.html.
ED Pubs
ting for their money, and parents know
P.O. Box 1398
Jessup, MD 20794 if their children are learning. …
1-877-4ED-PUBS (433-7827) The new education reforms
edpubs@inet.ed.gov expand parents’ opportunities for
choice. If children are not learning,
Information on ED programs,
resources and events:
Information Resource Center
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202
1-800-USA-LEARN (872-5327)
usa_learn@ed.gov
www.ed.gov/offices/OIIA/IRC

The Achiever contains news and information

about public and private organizations for
the reader’s information. Inclusion does not
constitute an endorsement by the U.S.
Department of Education of any products or
services offered or views expressed.

2
“By havin
ents wh o
g
tru
to a better sch
a st
ly
o
an
w
o
d
an
l,
ar
t
o r
d
to
iz

w
ed
m
an t
test … those par-
ove their students
to ex amine the
Tips for
Parents
!!!!!
e sch o o l w h er e their children
abilities of th do so. It makes
h av e a to o l to
o w
T
ake advantage of parent-teacher
attend, n as som ething they
an d it h conferences during the school
life easier for them a year. Think of some questions
take to th e ad m inistration to use as and concerns you may have and write
can
as on to m o ve th eir students.” them down before your meeting.
re guest
Keep track of your child’s schoolwork
seph Prudan, a to help you with your questions. You
Co un ty, Md., parent Jo of
Prince Geor ge’s the Department may ask:
t on th e Sept. 17 broadcast of ion New s
panelis m, Educat
television progra • Is my child performing at grade
Education’s new
level?
Parents Can Use.
• What are my child’s strengths and
weaknesses in major subjects—
p: reading, math, history and
e-U No Child science?
s
C lo

Left Behind • How much time should my child

spend on homework?
Reading First • Are my child’s assignments com-
pleted accurately and on time?

F
ar too many young people are strug-
gling through school without having • Does my child have special learn-
mastered the most basic skills in read- ing needs? Are there special class-
ing. On the 2000 National Assessment for Educational Progress, more es my child should be in?
than 85 percent of all fourth-graders in high-poverty schools scored • Do you keep a folder of my child’s
below the “proficient” reading level. work? If yes, could you review it
As part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, President Bush with me?
launched a new comprehensive effort called Reading First, a five-year,
$5 billion state grant program. Reading First will provide assistance to
state and local education agencies to apply scientifically based reading
research—and the proven instructional and assessment tools consistent
with this research—to improve reading instruction for K–3 students and
to ensure that all children learn to read well by the end of third grade.
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois,
Michigan, New Mexico and Utah have all received Reading First grants.
State education agencies from all 50 U.S. states and territories are eligi-
ble to submit applications to receive a Reading First grant. Applications
will undergo a thorough review by an expert panel, which have training,
expertise and experience in the following areas:
• Training teachers how to teach reading using methods based on
scientific research;
• Developing research-based curricula for effective reading instruction;
• Developing research assessments;
• Teaching reading in the early grades; and
Source: House Education & the Workforce Committee
• Promoting research based reading programs to policymakers on the
local, state and national levels.
For more information, visit www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/readingfirst.