2008《國情諮文》節選(3)

On education, we must trust students to learn, if given the chance, and empowerparents to demand results from our schools.

　　In neighborhoods across our country, there are boys and girls with dreams. And a decent education is their only hope of achieving them.

　　Six years ago, we came together to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, and today no one can deny its results.

　　Last year, 4th and 8th graders achieved the highest math scores on record. Reading scores are on the rise. African-American and Hispanic students posted all-time highs. Now we must……

　　（APPLAUSE）

　　Now we must work together to increase accountability, add flexibilities for states and districts, reduce the number of high school dropouts, provide extra help for struggling schools.

　　Members of Congress, the No Child Left Behind Act is a bipartisan achievement. It is succeeding. And we owe it to America's children, their parents and their teachers to strengthen this good law.

　　（APPLAUSE）

　　We must also do more to help children when their schools do not measure up. Thanks to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships you approved, more than 2,600 of the poorest children in our nation's capital have found new hope at a faith-basedor other nonpublic schools.

　　Sadly, these schools are disappearing at an alarming rate in many of America's inner cities. So I will convene a White House summit aimed at strengthening these lifelinesof learning.

　　And to open the doors of these schools to more children, I ask you to support a new $300 million program called Pell Grants for Kids. We have seen how Pell Grants help low-income college students realize their full potential.

　　Together, we've expanded the size and reach of these grants. Now let us apply the same spirit to help liberate poor children trappedin failing public schools.

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