In 1989, the Chicago Tribune reported that one in seven Americans cannot find the United States on a world map, and three-quarters can't locate the Persian Gulf. These results were based upon a test of 11,000 adults from nine nations. Americans placed behind the Swedes, West Germans, French and Canadians. The education system in America was in need of reform, and George H. W. Bush was determined to keep his promise to be the 'Education President'. So, in April of 1988, Bush officially sent his "Educational Excellence" initiative to congress. The bill listed four key principles behind education reform, rewarding excellence and success, helping those in financial need, providing choice and flexibility, and holding educators accountable. When his bill was presented to congress, it drew criticism from both the left and the right, and congress began to battle. Then, in September, while congress continued to fight over education reform, President Bush gathered all 50 of the nation's governors at the University of Virginia for a two-day summit. Here the President and the governors forged a new agreement that accelerated the standards-based education reform movement, and led to a massive shift in power over education from local to the federal government.
In his first state of the union address, President Bush introduced his education initiatives. President Bush had told America that he wanted to become the 'Education President', now he was asking congress to become the 'Education Congress'.
"But the most important competitiveness program of all is one which improves education in America. When some of our students actually have trouble locating America on a map of the world, it is time for us to map a new approach to education. We must reward excellence and cut through bureaucracy. We must help schools that need help the most. We must give choice to parents, students, teachers, and principals; and we must hold all concerned accountable. In education, we cannot tolerate mediocrity. I want to cut that dropout rate and make America a more literate nation, because what it really comes down to is this: The longer our graduation lines are today, the shorter our unemployment lines will be tomorrow.
So, tonight I'm proposing the following initiatives: the beginning of a $500 million program to reward America's best schools, merit schools; the creation of special Presidential awards for the best teachers in every State, because excellence should be rewarded; the establishment of a new program of National Science Scholars, one each year for every Member of the House and Senate, to give this generation of students a special incentive to excel in science and mathematics; the expanded use of magnet schools, which give families and students greater choice; and a new program to encourage alternative certification, which will let talented people from all fields teach in our classrooms. I've said I'd like to be the 'Education President.' And tonight, I'd ask you to join me by becoming the 'Education Congress.'"
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16660
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-08-13/news/8901040326_1_geography-education-geography-teaching-gilbert-grosvenor
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/09/24/05summit.h34.html
https://americanprinciplesproject.org/wp-content/uploads/charlottesville-education-summit-george-bush-library-museum.jpg
http://www.nndb.com/people/362/000022296/george-bush-sr.jpg
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