1999 White House Education Press Releases and Statements
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ______________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release October , 1999
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
October 22, 1999
Today, in his address to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), President Clinton will call on Congress to fund strategic initiatives in education. Noting that the issue is not only how much we spend on education, but also how wisely we spend, the President will call for targeted investments to reduce class size and improve teacher quality, turn around failing schools, expand after-school programs, prepare students for college, and raise standards.
The President also will point out that the Republican appropriations bill shortchanges these goals, and will urge Congress to work with him to pass an education spending bill that prepares our children for the 21st Century.
The mission of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is to establish high and rigorous standards for accomplished teaching, to develop and operate a national voluntary system to assess and certify teachers who meet these standards, and to advance related education reforms for the purpose of improving student learning in American schools. To date, the Board has certified 1,836 teachers in 27 states, and another 6,500 are currently working toward board certification.
The President hosted a reception in 1995 at the White House for the first 177 NBPTS certified teachers. In 1997 the President hosted another White House reception to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of NBPTS and advocated in his State of the Union address for using federal funds to support the goal of having 105,000 National Board-certified teachers across the country -- one for every school.
The President will be joined on stage by NBPTS Founding Chair Governor James Hunt;NBPTS Chair Barbara Kelley; NBPTS Founding President Jim Kelly; NBPTS president-elect Betty Castor; NBPTS Vice Chair Bob Wehling; NBPTS Finance Chair Leo Ramirez; Pat Soto, National Board Certified Teacher and NBPTS Board Member; and Carole Moyer, National Board Certified Teacher, Columbus, OH.
The audience will consist of 400 members and guests of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Order of Speakers:
A fact sheet is attached.
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