September is National College Savings Month, and California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer and the ScholarShare Investment Board are participating in numerous events throughout the state of California to help families learn how they can begin saving for college. Click on the link below for a list of events for National College Savings Month.
http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/scholarshare/events.asp#september
The future of our country - the doctors, the Air Force pilots, and the teachers - lies in our children. We must make certain that every child is in a good school and is learning the basics. The best way to do this is to transfer the focus out of Washington and put it back where it belongs - in the states and communities who know the needs of our children the best.
It is proven that schools function better and children learn more when big government bureaucracies are not mandating one-sized-fits-all approaches. Congress has worked to turn the decision-making over to the local communities. In 2001, with my support, Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act, which transferred an unprecedented amount of power to the administrators and teachers who are more familiar with the needs of their students.
Leaving no child behind is not just a catch phrase - it is historic education reform that demonstrates a commitment to results. Schools, teachers, parents and children need to be held accountable for their performance. Just like children are given report cards, schools now have report cards. This will empower parents and taxpayers, alike to demand the best from their local schools.
There is no question that there is still more work to be done in the area of education reform. The No Child Left Behind Act is a framework that will need to be built and improved upon as schools implement it. I will continue working to ensure that every child has access to a quality education, from a quality teacher in a quality school.
