There is now abundant evidence that our nation has awakened. We have awakened to the challenge of creating world-class schools, but we are impatient with the pace of improvement. We refuse to be lulled into thinking that our recent military and economic supremacy diminishes the need for reform. In fact, the American public demonstrates, in its response to every poll, that it clearly understands that our continued economic vitality, social stability, and quality of life depend on our ability to dramatically improve our schools. With strong gubernatorial leadership and business community support, education officials in virtually every state have now developed and adopted more rigorous standards.
Most states have new assessments in place or under development.
Some states have begun to put consequences in place for schools or districts failing to make progress. The commitments made by the nation s governors and business leaders at the 1996 National Education Summit commitments to higher standards, better assessments, and tougher accountability measures have clearly become central elements in a nationwide campaign to improve school performance. Despite this progress, the most difficult challenges lie ahead, and we cannot back off. We have come together to reaffirm our commitment to rigorous academic standards and to focus on the large challenges confronting states and communities as they implement them. We cannot expect students to meet rigorous academic standards unless we have teachers equipped to teach to higher standards.