"A Parent-Focused Agenda for America's Schools"

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"A Parent-Focused Agenda for America's Schools"
Remarks by
House Majority Leader Dick Armey
At Odyssey Charter School, Pasadena, California
February 22, 2000

Good morning. Let me just say, on a day when we are assessing the state of education in the nation, viewing a wonderful school like this puts hope in my heart. You parents have done a wonderful job here, and you deserve to be congratulated. I'd also like to thank the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution for conceiving and organizing this response to Secretary Riley's annual address and to commend the Secretary for starting this practice.

Because nationwide, ladies and gentlemen, the state of education is alarming.

You know, 17 years ago, America was shocked by the study "A Nation at Risk" which found our nation's school system not up to the task of preparing our children for the future and described the "rising tide of mediocrity" in America's schools. Washington reacted by jumping into the thick of things. More and more decisions were taken away from parents and school officials and centralized in the Washington bureaucracy.

Since 1980, the federal government has spent nearly $400 billion on education. But the federal government didn't just put money into education. They tied it to a lot of strings, telling states and local school districts how to run their schools. While Washington provides less than 10 percent of the money for schools, it creates 80 percent of the paperwork. Our Education Oversight Committee found that the U.S. Department of Education imposes over 48.6 million hours worth of paperwork each year. That's the equivalent of 25,000 employees working full time.

That approach just hasn't worked. While a bureaucrat in Washington, DC spends his life building a career, he's interfering with the teachers who are spending their careers building lives. Teachers find their hands tied, and parents find themselves frustrated. Worst of all, our children's education suffers.

Why am I alarmed at the state of education today? A few statistics make it pretty obvious. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, today's students simply are not prepared to succeed:

· 40 percent of fourth-graders do not read at even a basic level;

· half of the students from urban school districts fail to graduate on time, if at all;

· average test scores among 17 year olds are lower than they were in 1984, a year after "A Nation at Risk" was released;

· U.S. 12^th graders outperformed only two nations in mathematics out of 21 nations total. Our students only did better than the students in South Africa and Cyprus; and

· Public colleges and universities spend $1 billion a year on remedial education.

It's time for a fresh approach. It's time to put education decisions back in the hands of the one group of people who only have the children's best interest at heart. It's time to put parents back in the driver's seat.

We've often heard the old expression that the American Dream is to own your own home. Well I disagree. The American Dream is to get your kids out of it.

I'm serious. We buy that first home so that our children have a roof over their heads in a safe, wholesome community. And we spend every day preparing our child for that one day that every parent hopes for - the day their child walks through the door and says, "Mom, Dad, I got the job."

Every child in America deserves a safe, quality education and a fair chance to succeed and prosper.

What is more important to achieving that dream than providing a good education? Educating their children is the most important thing parents do. That little baby embodies their hopes and dreams. Parents spend every waking hour doing what they think will most ensure that their children grow up to have joy and success in their own lives and be a blessing in the lives of others.

Every parent deserves the peace of mind that comes from knowing they have given their child the very best education available. And that's why parents should make all the important decisions about their children's education.

Not everyone trusts parents to do right by their children. That's an amazing fact, but it's true. Some people actually believe Washington knows best.

I saw my friend Phil Gramm on television once, debating a Washington education bureaucrat on this very subject. She was absolutely certain that she knew better than parents how to educate their children. Phil asked her directly "do you think you know my children's needs better than I do?" She said "yes." So he said, "Okay, what are their names?"

We need to put the power in education back in the hands of the people who know the child's name, the teacher's name and the principal's name as well. These are the people who know what works best to teach that child. We've got to free the local school boards from the mountain of Washington regulations and paperwork, so they can do what they know works. The school board will get it right, because the school board is accountable to parents. A frustrated parent can't come to Washington and knock on the Secretary of Education's door to get a problem fixed. But school board members see parents in the neighborhood, in the grocery store, at the park, or walking down the street. Everywhere they turn, they get an earful from local parents, and they will respond.

With decision-making in the hands of local officials, we can once again have the finest public schools in the world. Schools will be accountable to parents who will demand real results for our children.

But the need goes further than just local decision-making. Parents need direct control and an ability to make decisions based on choices best suited to meet their child's needs. Every child in America deserves to believe "my school is the best school and Mom and Dad are my heroes for sending me here."

No parent should have to wonder all day, after they see their child to the bus stop in the morning, is my child going to learn - or worse, is my child going to be safe. To you struggling parents out there who are scared half to death about the violence and drugs in your child's school, I say you deserve a choice. We see your frustration and your fear. We know that you want a solution now, this year, while your child is struggling to learn - not some long term plan to rebuild the schools for the next generation.

Every parent deserves the right to be able to move their child out of a failing, dangerous school to a school where that child can learn and be safe. We talk a lot about parents' responsibility to raise their children right. Well, if we don't let parents decide which school environment will serve their child best, then we are barring them from carrying out their responsibility to do their best for their children.

We have a lot of people in Washington who don't understand that. When I tried to pass a bill that allowed 2,000 poor and disadvantaged children in the District of Columbia to go to the school of their parent's choice, I was resoundingly denounced by the big shots in Washington. The President vetoed the legislation.

There are over 75,000 students in Washington, DC public schools. The public school system there is failing many children. Consider:

· 65% of the students test below grade level;

· about half drop out; and

· in two D.C. high schools, 100% of 10^th graders test below grade level in math.

There is a crisis in the D.C. public school system and yet, the muckety-mucks who use their own resources to send their own children to private schools won't give the neighbor down the street, who doesn't have the money, the same choice. That's not fair.

Think of those moms and dads, and the frustrations they have seeing their children off to a dangerous school everyday. Or the single mother, just off welfare, and working two jobs to break the cycle of dependency for her family - shouldn't she be able to send her child to a school that reinforces those values?

When Ted Forstmann, a very good and generous man, donated money for the Washington Scholarship Fund so 1,000 children in the DC public school system could go to schools that work, he was overwhelmed with over 7,500 applications. You can't tell me parents don't want options.

And it works. I've raised money for scholarships myself for 15 needy children - and I've seen those children blossom as they moved from a dangerous, failing public school to a functional private school that nurtures them. They are learning, they enjoy learning, and they have a strength of character that makes every parent proud. And how did this happen? They were given a chance to attend a safe, quality school.

Isn't that what it's all about? Parents will do everything they can to raise vibrant, confident, successful children. You've all seen it - parents get together for any occasion and the first thing they do is brag on their kids. I'm sure you do it yourself. Your children's happiness and success is your highest priority.

When parents have options, they have influence. If they believe their children aren't learning, they should be able to place their children in another learning environment: public, charter, private, home school, whatever works. Parents and communities must support those schools that are working to keep the halls, classrooms and football bleachers free from violence.

Look at this school, here, today. All you parents have worked hard to make this a stimulating, rewarding, safe and secure environment where your children can learn. Where they can learn the academics and the character they need to be happy and successful. Putting parents in charge works.

We're making progress, but it is slow. Last fall we succeeded in changing the law so that parents can choose to move their children out of a failing Title I public school, as long as they select another public school in the same district. That's a start. We'll keep working to expand parents' choices so they can decide what will work best for their children.

We've also increased the number of charter schools nationwide - but there's more to be done.

This year we'll try again to create education savings accounts, to help parents save money tax-free for their children's educational needs - whether it's for books, computers, tuition or tutors. If parents can start saving early, before their children even begin school, their investment will grow over time and benefit their children throughout their school years.

And we'll continue to protect home-schooling from federal government intrusion so that those 1.5 million parents nationwide who choose to educate their children at home, may continue to exercise that option. A recent study of home education found that home school students in the elementary grades scored a grade level higher on achievement tests than their counterparts in public and private schools. This is an option that works for more and more families every year.

We've seen proof that parental choice and local control work. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Albany, New York, school choice has improved student achievement across the board. And in Texas, holding local authorities accountable has turned the state's failed education system around.

When Governor Bush took office, there were 48 separate state educational goals - so many goals that resources couldn't be focussed on what's important. And parents couldn't really keep track of what was happening. Parents might learn that a school reached 40 goals - which sounds wonderful until you realize that one of the goals they didn't reach was teaching students to read.

Education is about results. Gov. Bush reduced those goals to four: excellence in reading, math, science and social studies.

Effective reform also requires accountability. When a school succeeds, someone deserves credit and praise. And when a school fails, someone must be responsible. In Texas, 37% of the principals in failing schools were replaced or retired. Parents refused to accept failure.

Governor Bush's reforms made a difference. There are over 7,000 public schools in Texas, as diverse as any in America. Here are the results:

· Since 1994, the number of minority children passing the state skills test jumped from 38 percent to 69 percent.

· Between 1994 and 1999, Hispanic eighth-graders posted a 40 point gain on the math exam.

· And African-American fourth-graders have better math skills in Texas than in any state in the country.

I'm proud of Texas' success. And I want the nation to learn from it.

The frustration with public education today leads some to two temptations: One is to throw more money at the problem and with that, dictate policies from Washington. The other is to give up on public education altogether. I reject both.

The answer is accountability. We've seen proof that it works. When parents can hold schools accountable, children learn. Let's create more choices for parents and teachers to do what they find works with the children whose names they know. Then every child will get a quality education they deserve. Every child will have the tools and opportunities to succeed.

"A Parent-Focused Agenda for America's Schools" Remarks by House Majority Leader Dick Armey At Odyssey Charter School, Pasadena, California February 22, 2000 Good morning. Let me just say, on a day when we are assessing the state of education in the nation, viewing a wonderful school like this puts hope in my heart. You parents have done a wonderful job here, and you deserve to be congratulated. I'd also like to thank the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution for conceiving and organizing this response to Secretary Riley's annual address and to commend the Secretary for starting this practice. Because nationwide, ladies and gentlemen, the state of education is alarming. You know, 17 years ago, America was shocked by the study "A Nation at Risk" which found our nation's school system not up to the task of preparing our children for the future and described the "rising tide of mediocrity" in America's schools. Washington reacted by jumping into the thick of things. More and more decisions were taken away from parents and school officials and centralized in the Washington bureaucracy. Since 1980, the federal government has spent nearly $400 billion on education. But the federal government didn't just put money into education. They tied it to a lot of strings, telling states and local school districts how to run their schools. While Washington provides less than 10 percent of the money for schools, it creates 80 percent of the paperwork. Our Education Oversight Committee found that the U.S. Department of Education imposes over 48.6 million hours worth of paperwork each year. That's the equivalent of 25,000 employees working full time. That approach just hasn't worked. While a bureaucrat in Washington, DC spends his life building a career, he's interfering with the teachers who are spending their careers building lives. Teachers find their hands tied, and parents find themselves frustrated. Worst of all, our children's education suffers. Why am I alarmed at the state of education today? A few statistics make it pretty obvious. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, today's students simply are not prepared to succeed: · 40 percent of fourth-graders do not read at even a basic level; · half of the students from urban school districts fail to graduate on time, if at all; · average test scores among 17 year olds are lower than they were in 1984, a year after "A Nation at Risk" was released; · U.S. 12^th graders outperformed only two nations in mathematics out of 21 nations total. Our students only did better than the students in South Africa and Cyprus; and · Public colleges and universities spend $1 billion a year on remedial education. It's time for a fresh approach. It's time to put education decisions back in the hands of the one group of people who only have the children's best interest at heart. It's time to put parents back in the driver's seat. We've often heard the old expression that the American Dream is to own your own home. Well I disagree. The American Dream is to get your kids out of it. I'm serious. We buy that first home so that our children have a roof over their heads in a safe, wholesome community. And we spend every day preparing our child for that one day that every parent hopes for - the day their child walks through the door and says, "Mom, Dad, I got the job." Every child in America deserves a safe, quality education and a fair chance to succeed and prosper. What is more important to achieving that dream than providing a good education? Educating their children is the most important thing parents do. That little baby embodies their hopes and dreams. Parents spend every waking hour doing what they think will most ensure that their children grow up to have joy and success in their own lives and be a blessing in the lives of others. Every parent deserves the peace of mind that comes from knowing they have given their child the very best education available. And that's why parents should make all the important decisions about their children's education. Not everyone trusts parents to do right by their children. That's an amazing fact, but it's true. Some people actually believe Washington knows best. I saw my friend Phil Gramm on television once, debating a Washington education bureaucrat on this very subject. She was absolutely certain that she knew better than parents how to educate their children. Phil asked her directly "do you think you know my children's needs better than I do?" She said "yes." So he said, "Okay, what are their names?" We need to put the power in education back in the hands of the people who know the child's name, the teacher's name and the principal's name as well. These are the people who know what works best to teach that child. We've got to free the local school boards from the mountain of Washington regulations and paperwork, so they can do what they know works. The school board will get it right, because the school board is accountable to parents. A frustrated parent can't come to Washington and knock on the Secretary of Education's door to get a problem fixed. But school board members see parents in the neighborhood, in the grocery store, at the park, or walking down the street. Everywhere they turn, they get an earful from local parents, and they will respond. With decision-making in the hands of local officials, we can once again have the finest public schools in the world. Schools will be accountable to parents who will demand real results for our children. But the need goes further than just local decision-making. Parents need direct control and an ability to make decisions based on choices best suited to meet their child's needs. Every child in America deserves to believe "my school is the best school and Mom and Dad are my heroes for sending me here." No parent should have to wonder all day, after they see their child to the bus stop in the morning, is my child going to learn - or worse, is my child going to be safe. To you struggling parents out there who are scared half to death about the violence and drugs in your child's school, I say you deserve a choice. We see your frustration and your fear. We know that you want a solution now, this year, while your child is struggling to learn - not some long term plan to rebuild the schools for the next generation. Every parent deserves the right to be able to move their child out of a failing, dangerous school to a school where that child can learn and be safe. We talk a lot about parents' responsibility to raise their children right. Well, if we don't let parents decide which school environment will serve their child best, then we are barring them from carrying out their responsibility to do their best for their children. We have a lot of people in Washington who don't understand that. When I tried to pass a bill that allowed 2,000 poor and disadvantaged children in the District of Columbia to go to the school of their parent's choice, I was resoundingly denounced by the big shots in Washington. The President vetoed the legislation. There are over 75,000 students in Washington, DC public schools. The public school system there is failing many children. Consider: · 65% of the students test below grade level; · about half drop out; and · in two D.C. high schools, 100% of 10^th graders test below grade level in math. There is a crisis in the D.C. public school system and yet, the muckety-mucks who use their own resources to send their own children to private schools won't give the neighbor down the street, who doesn't have the money, the same choice. That's not fair. Think of those moms and dads, and the frustrations they have seeing their children off to a dangerous school everyday. Or the single mother, just off welfare, and working two jobs to break the cycle of dependency for her family - shouldn't she be able to send her child to a school that reinforces those values? When Ted Forstmann, a very good and generous man, donated money for the Washington Scholarship Fund so 1,000 children in the DC public school system could go to schools that work, he was overwhelmed with over 7,500 applications. You can't tell me parents don't want options. And it works. I've raised money for scholarships myself for 15 needy children - and I've seen those children blossom as they moved from a dangerous, failing public school to a functional private school that nurtures them. They are learning, they enjoy learning, and they have a strength of character that makes every parent proud. And how did this happen? They were given a chance to attend a safe, quality school. Isn't that what it's all about? Parents will do everything they can to raise vibrant, confident, successful children. You've all seen it - parents get together for any occasion and the first thing they do is brag on their kids. I'm sure you do it yourself. Your children's happiness and success is your highest priority. When parents have options, they have influence. If they believe their children aren't learning, they should be able to place their children in another learning environment: public, charter, private, home school, whatever works. Parents and communities must support those schools that are working to keep the halls, classrooms and football bleachers free from violence. Look at this school, here, today. All you parents have worked hard to make this a stimulating, rewarding, safe and secure environment where your children can learn. Where they can learn the academics and the character they need to be happy and successful. Putting parents in charge works. We're making progress, but it is slow. Last fall we succeeded in changing the law so that parents can choose to move their children out of a failing Title I public school, as long as they select another public school in the same district. That's a start. We'll keep working to expand parents' choices so they can decide what will work best for their children. We've also increased the number of charter schools nationwide - but there's more to be done. This year we'll try again to create education savings accounts, to help parents save money tax-free for their children's educational needs - whether it's for books, computers, tuition or tutors. If parents can start saving early, before their children even begin school, their investment will grow over time and benefit their children throughout their school years. And we'll continue to protect home-schooling from federal government intrusion so that those 1.5 million parents nationwide who choose to educate their children at home, may continue to exercise that option. A recent study of home education found that home school students in the elementary grades scored a grade level higher on achievement tests than their counterparts in public and private schools. This is an option that works for more and more families every year. We've seen proof that parental choice and local control work. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Albany, New York, school choice has improved student achievement across the board. And in Texas, holding local authorities accountable has turned the state's failed education system around. When Governor Bush took office, there were 48 separate state educational goals - so many goals that resources couldn't be focussed on what's important. And parents couldn't really keep track of what was happening. Parents might learn that a school reached 40 goals - which sounds wonderful until you realize that one of the goals they didn't reach was teaching students to read. Education is about results. Gov. Bush reduced those goals to four: excellence in reading, math, science and social studies. Effective reform also requires accountability. When a school succeeds, someone deserves credit and praise. And when a school fails, someone must be responsible. In Texas, 37% of the principals in failing schools were replaced or retired. Parents refused to accept failure. Governor Bush's reforms made a difference. There are over 7,000 public schools in Texas, as diverse as any in America. Here are the results: · Since 1994, the number of minority children passing the state skills test jumped from 38 percent to 69 percent. · Between 1994 and 1999, Hispanic eighth-graders posted a 40 point gain on the math exam. · And African-American fourth-graders have better math skills in Texas than in any state in the country. I'm proud of Texas' success. And I want the nation to learn from it. The frustration with public education today leads some to two temptations: One is to throw more money at the problem and with that, dictate policies from Washington. The other is to give up on public education altogether. I reject both. The answer is accountability. We've seen proof that it works. When parents can hold schools accountable, children learn. Let's create more choices for parents and teachers to do what they find works with the children whose names they know. Then every child will get a quality education they deserve. Every child will have the tools and opportunities to succeed.