When we expect more, we will get more. For too long in elementary and secondary education, we've allowed the naysayers to make excuses for schools and students who performed poorly. We've heard too often that those poor inner city children just can't learn as well as other kids. We heard that minority students can't be expected to do well on tests and to perform at as high a level as non minorities. Well, I say no more excuses.
Every child CAN learn.
Every child WILL learn. And just as we must expect more from our students, we also must expect more from our schools. Under the President's plan, states and school districts will be asked to step up and set higher standards. In exchange for standing up and accepting the responsibility for higher standards, the schools will get more resources. To make sure that our schools are really teaching children , we ask the states to measure the results.