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U.S. Office
of Personnel Management
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Speech by Janice Lachance,
Director,
Office of Personnel Management
BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT
Boarding House Park
Lowell, Massachusetts
September 28, 1999
Thank you very much, Jan [Paschal] for that kind introduction, and for
your efforts in coordinating these Back to School events all over New
England.
And I want to thank Mayor [Eileen] Donoghue and her staff for
coordinating this wonderful event. Thanks as well to Superintendent
[George] Tsapatsaris for arranging the involvement of the Lowell school
system in today's celebration. I also want to thank Wilson Goode, the
Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, for being
here.
In addition, we have Ed Jerome, the Principal of Edgartown
Elementary School with us - Edgartown Elementary is probably most
famous for being the media center for President Clinton's vacations to
Martha's Vineyard - no small task, I can assure you. Ed is also the Chair of
the Massachusetts America Goes Back to School Committee, so thank you
Ed for being here, and for all your hard work on these events.
Lowell is a city with a long history of accomplishment, and - as
this event demonstrates - clearly one that cares about its children and is
dedicated to improving their education. Not only is this an All American
city, Lowell was one of the leaders of America's Industrial Revolution, with
its network of canals and textile mills helping to clothe our nation for over a
century.
Today, Lowell has once again become a place that is looked upon as a
leader, now by those who want to follow its example of using public-private
partnerships to restore and reinvigorate their own communities. Clearly this
is a very special city.
So, for me as a Maine native, it is a particular pleasure to "come down
south" to be here in today as part of this "America Goes Back to School"
event. And what a wonderful turnout!
President Clinton and Vice President Gore asked me to come here
with you today to tell you about their strong support for improving education
in Massachusetts and around the country.
Over the last six and a half years, the President and Vice President
have established an impressive record of accomplishments - they have put
our nation's economic house in order while providing tax relief for middle
income families, expanding critical investments in the future and continuing
American leadership around the world.
You have seen the results yourselves - since 1993, the unemployment
rate in Massachusetts has declined from 7.5 percent to an unbelievably low
3.1 percent. And an amazing 401,100 new jobs have been created in your
state over that same period!
Our focus as an Administration has been simple - we want to give all
Americans, especially our children, the tools and resources they need to
realize their full potential.
In fact, since 1993, the Clinton/Gore Administration has made the
largest investment in America's education system since John F. Kennedy
was President.
But we know that dollars aren't enough. So, through initiatives like
"America Goes Back to School," we have been encouraging parents and
communities across the nation to rededicate their time, expertise, and efforts
in support of our schools, our teachers, and our children.
And, we have been trying to lead by example. We know that we too
must be part of the solution to improving the educational opportunities for
our children.
I am here today to tell you that President Clinton, Vice President Gore,
my fellow Cabinet Secretaries and their staffs, and the entire Federal
workforce, are all committed to giving all our children the best possible
education.
We have very selfish reasons for this. Our children are the future
leaders of our nation and of our Federal Government.
So, for me, as the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management, the Federal Government's human resources agency and our
nation's single largest employer - one with 1.8 million employees - it means
I have a vested interest in having a highly educated, technologically-savvy
pool of candidates for Federal jobs.
How do we ensure we have this hi-tech, hi-octane applicant pool?
Well, together, as a nation, we must agree to aggressively address the
challenges facing our public education system. We must turn around failing
schools. We must hold states and districts accountable for helping all
children reach high academic standards.
We must recruit and prepare the best-qualified teachers. We have to
provide more summer and after-school programs, and do more to facilitate
our children's transition to college and careers.
And most importantly, we have to provide modern, safe, drug and
violence-free schools for our children.
It is a process that we have already begun. Through the President's
new initiative to hire an additional 100,000 well-prepared teachers, school
districts around the country, including here in Massachusetts, will be able to
reduce class sizes in the early grades, when children learn to read and master
the basic skills.
Just this fiscal year, 577 new public school teachers were hired in
Massachusetts. And, under the President's budget proposal, Massachusetts
would receive $26 million next year to support a total of 698 new teachers.
And there is more good news. Massachusetts will receive $78.2
million this year in Head Start funding - funding that is critical to giving our
youngest children the resources to start on the road to a long, healthy, and
fulfilling lives. In 1998, nearly 12,000 Massachusetts children were enrolled
in Head Start, and this new funding means even more children will benefit
from this important program this year.
As part of the Administration's Goals 2000 program, Massachusetts is
receiving nearly $9 million to raise academic standards, increase parental
and community involvement in education, expand the use of computers and
technology in classrooms, and support high-quality teacher professional
development.
And, this Administration does not believe that education ends at high
school. We are committed to increasing the college opportunities available
for all of America's students.
So, thanks to this Administration, the tools are out there. I encourage
you, as you visit these booths and exhibits, to take advantage of the
opportunities to continue your, or your children's education.
Remember, knowledge is power. And the Clinton/Gore
Administration is committed to helping everyone obtain the knowledge to
reach their full potential. Thank you very much.
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