American students are becoming more competitive in the global marketplace because of the education they get in public schools. There are public school graduates at the pinnacle of every profession. Dropout rates are declining and are lower today than in the 1970s and 1980s. More students with disabilities are being educated in regular classrooms. While we have had some tragic incidents, the overall school crime rate is decreasing.
School is still the safest place for a child to be.
Despite all these positive trends, some critics contend public schools are failing. This kind of attitude does not help our children. We need positive reinforcement, a more concerted effort by our legislatures to fund public education initiatives, and a more engaged community to embrace public education and help students achieve more. Let's continue to strengthen public schools in our states and in this nation. From this point forward, I encourage all of you to join me in getting out the message that public education works.