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Paige: 'We think that we're on a roll'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Education Secretary Rod Paige joined President Bush for a Rose Garden ceremony Tuesday to mark the fact that all 50 states have submitted their plan to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act. Paige talked with CNN anchor Judy Woodruff about the education measure. Woodruff: Mr. Secretary, when this bill was originally signed into law it was a bipartisan effort, Democrats and Republicans. But many of those people on board in the beginning are now saying the president has not lived up to his promise to fund the bill. What do you say to them? Paige: Well I think that it's still a very strong bipartisan effort, and we get great bipartisan support. There are some differences about funding, but those differences will be worked out. The important thing is that all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico now have submitted and had plans approved on how their state will come into compliance with this great law. Woodruff: Well, on the funding, they say that they are really concerned. They say what was put in the budget for schools this year is $10 billion less than it was supposed to have been. They say there was $6 billion less for disadvantaged kids. They talk about after school programs being slashed 40 percent. And they're saying, how do you expect the states to comply? Paige: Well, I think what they should realize -- and I think they do realize -- that the president's proposal for the '04 budget rises to $53.1 billion, a record. No other president in the history of our nation has requested such strong support for our nation's school children. And the $53.1 billion is $11 billion more than what the president found when he took office just a few years ago. So the president's been very strong about supporting education in this country. Woodruff: Well let me also ask you about a comment from Senator Edward Kennedy who, as you know, was very much on board in the beginning. Paige: Yes. Woodruff: He's asking now, when the administration, in his words, is cutting some public school funding, why then is it separately proposing to put money into private schools through vouchers when these private schools don't have to live up to any of these accountability standards? Paige: Well, the first thing I would say is there's no cutting. You know the definition of cutting in Washington D.C. is quite different from the definition of cutting all over the rest of the world. The budget is increased; it's not being cut. The budget is up to $53.1 billion; $11 billion more than what the president found when he got to Washington. Woodruff: So you're saying he's just wrong? Paige: Yes. I think there is -- there's no cutting. Woodruff: Well, let me also ask you about -- we've looked around the country at a number of reports, Mr. Secretary. In the state of Utah, for example, there are state officials who say they are concerned that these reforms, which are, in their words, are inflexible, are going to lead to some schools losing teachers in those very schools that most need help because those teachers don't want to be associated with so-called failing schools. Paige: Well, you know I think the strongest statement from the states come from the chief state school offices in every state. And today we can say that all 50, all 50 states submitted plans on how they're going to perform in that state. Plans on how they're going to reach the law and how they're going to be in compliance with the law. All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. So, there's some jabbing around the edges, but ... we're very excited about the amount of enthusiasm we're getting in the states about the No Child Left Behind Act. Woodruff: So you just dismiss these criticisms as being unwarranted. Paige: Well, I think as we go forward we're going to have criticism and difficulties. But all of those just represent barriers that we need to overcome, and we will. Woodruff: And back on the point from Senator Kennedy about the private schools, it is the case that the president is putting some more money into private schools which will not be held at the same accountability standards, is that correct? Paige: Well, first of all, I think we make too big an issue of the clear line between what is public and what is private. The deadline is much more blurred than it is clear. And what we're interested is in whatever delivery system provides the best education for our children. We realize that there will be multiple systems as we go forward. There'll be cyber schools, home schooling, private schools, what we refer to now as the public schooling. But what we're interested in primarily is making sure that our public schools perform well, and we're getting great enthusiasm from the schools and the state. And we think that we're on a roll in terms of changing because of education in America.
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