Ehrlich on Washington column, January 27, 2002

с \EWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Rood, Suita 304 Lulhorvill*, Maryland 2)093 3 1 5 Cannon Houm Office Building Washington, D.C 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of January 27, 2002 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. President Bush Goes to Bat for Maryland's Kids As the product of academic scholarships, I know personally how important it is for communities to reach out and help children from limited economic backgrounds. That is why I took such pride earlier this month in watching President Bush sign into law his historic education reforms, known as the No Child Left Behind Act. As an original cosponsor of this initiative, I am proud of the benefits it will provide America's children. More importantly, I fought for the President's reforms because I know they will improve the lives of so many children in Maryland. For instance, No Child Left Behind makes unprecedented investments in schools that are located in low-income areas, also known as Title I schools. The federal government has an obligation to assist these schools, which typically serve economically-disadvantaged students. The President's proposal increases investments in Maryland’s Title I schools, like those in Baltimore City, to $176 million, a nearly 60% increase from funding in 2000. This is an important first step toward helping disadvantaged kids get the best education possible. As the President has said, every child has the right to a great education, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. It is time America put that creed into practice. President Bush knows that money alone will not improve Maryland's schools. That is why he promised during his campaign to end the education bureaucracy's harmful penchant for throwing money at a problem without demanding results. No Child Left Behind includes innovative requirements for states to measure the annual progress of children in grades 3-8, so taxpayers and parents get their money’s worth. It will also improve Maryland's already respected testing programs by requiring test results for individual students, rather than just a percentage of students, so parents know exactly how their child is performing in school. In addition, parents will receive report cards outlining the performance of their child's school, thereby emphasizing greater accountability for teachers and principals, too.