For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 25, 2007

Fact Sheet: No Child Left Behind: Keeping a Historic Commitment to Our Children
President Bush Calls On Congress To Reauthorize No Child Left Behind This Year

White House News

      President Bush Congratulates Presidential Scholars, Discusses No Child Left Behind Reauthorization
      In Focus: Education

"Our ability to compete in the 21st century depends upon educating [our] children... As Presidential Scholars, you leave your high school with confidence in your ability, and you've got a great foundation for success. We want to make sure that same confidence is instilled in every single child that's getting out of high school. And so what can we do? First, we can make sure No Child Left Behind gets reauthorized." – President George W. Bush, 6/25/07

Today, President Bush Congratulated The 2007 Presidential Scholars And Called On Congress To Reauthorize The No Child Left Behind Act This Year. The United States Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of our Nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. At least one young man and one young woman are selected from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. families abroad.

1. Reauthorizing No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Is One Of The President's Top Priorities For This Year. America's ability to compete in the 21st century depends on helping every child achieve high standards. To meet this challenge, we must raise the bar and strengthen No Child Left Behind.

No Child Left Behind Is Working

During The Most Recent Five Year Period On Record, The National Assessment Of Educational Progress Shows Nine-Year-Olds Made More Progress In Reading Than They Did In The Previous 28 Years Combined.

The Non-Partisan Center For Education Policy Found That Many States Have Seen Reading And Math Test Scores Increase Since NCLB Was Passed. The study also found that minority and low-income students are making some of the biggest gains – and as a result, the achievement gap is beginning to close.

NCLB Must Be Strengthened To Ensure Our Children Are Prepared For The Challenges Of The 21st Century

1. Strengthening NCLB Will Ensure That All Children Graduate High School Ready For College And The Global Economy. We will improve our high schools by increasing accountability for results, expanding access to Advanced Placement courses, and encouraging all students to complete a rigorous course of study.
   
   
   • Strengthening Math And Science Instruction Will Be An Important Part Of This Effort. The President has proposed a new Adjunct Teacher Corps to encourage 30,000 math and science professionals to bring real-life experience to the classroom as part-time teachers, and he calls on Congress to fund this important program.
     
     
2. Strengthening NCLB Will Better Help Struggling Schools. The President's FY 2008 Budget will increase Federal support for underperforming schools by more than $400 million – to a total of more than $1 billion next year.
   
   
   • The President Has Also Proposed Increasing Our Investment In The Teacher Incentive Fund To Nearly $200 Million Next Year. This fund rewards teachers who teach in low-income schools and help their students achieve great results.
     
3. Strengthening NCLB Will Empower Parents With More Choices. When schools fail to make progress, No Child Left Behind gives parents real options: They can enroll their children in free tutoring or transfer them to a better-performing public school. The Administration is committed to helping more parents take advantage of these options by working to increase the availability of free tutoring and expand school choice options.
   
   
   • The President Has Also Proposed "Opportunity Scholarships" To Assist Communities That Want To Provide Additional Scholarships For Low-Income Students To Attend Private Or Religious Schools. Since 2004, the Federal government has funded a similar program in Washington, DC, and the President believes low-income students outside our Nation's capital should have the same opportunities.