RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Sept. 12 -- Touting his education goals, President Clinton announced Thursday a $1.3 million grant for California's charter school program, and praised a new report he claims makes clear the country should set high standards for teachers and reward them for a job well-done. Clinton, during a speech at Chaffey Community College in Rancho Cucamonga, told students of his proposal to finance two years of community college education in an effort to expand the basic level of education for every American to 14 years, including elementary and secondary schooling. He also used the speech to announce the $1.3 million grant for the state's charter school program, which Clinton described as a place of learning 'where a group of teachers get together and say 'here's who we're going to serve; here's what we're going to produce; give us a charter and if we don't produce it, take it away from us, hold us accountable.'' The grant for California consists of funds already approved by Congress for promoting the charter school concept, which allows teachers, principals and parents to organize their own schools. Under the system in place in 25 states nationwide, organizers of such schools are generally given five years to prove their ability to meet or exceed the educational standards required of other public schools. The federal government is distributing about $17 million this year to states to promote charter schools. California, with the $700,000 it received last year and the $1.3 million being announced Thursday, plans to help start some 50 more charter schools.
Currently, there are 350 charter schools nationwide, including 90 in California, and Clinton said he would like to see another 1,000 open across the country. 'Some of the most exciting and innovative schools in the country, in the public system are charter schools,' said Clinton domestic policy adviser Bruce Reed. At an earlier campaign address in Fresno at the Morris A. Dailey Elementary School, which came during what is his 27th visit to California as president, Clinton lauded the results of a new study by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future chaired by North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt. The study calls for improving teacher standards. Clinton said 'we should have high standards for teachers, but that too often teachers are not rewarded when they do a good job.' Clinton added that he had directed Education Secretary Richard Riley to follow up on the commission's recommendations. 'We have to set higher standards for all education, including our schools and our communities,' he said. 'We have to do our part, each and every one of us, if we're going to have the best schools in the world,' Clinton said.
