Margaret Warner and a panel discuss a report which criticizes America's public school system . The NewsHour analyzes a study released that compares American eighth graders to other countries. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of the education. Secretary Riley and Congressman Goodling are with us now to pick up on the debate. Well, it s a national look at a very important matter.
Education is more important today than it s ever been in the history of the world.
We then should have a way certainly to raise expectations for all of the nation s children. We believe that the states responsible for education, local government is where the function takes place, but it must be a national priority. The nation must have it as a priority and do all we can to help states and school districts and parents see that a good education is there for their children. In the best of all possible worlds make the connection between a nationalized test that s given all over the country to every school child, where it s relevant, and an improvement in that child s performance. Well, this is more than just a test.