FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2003
Governor Blagojevich's Message Places
Priority on Important Education Initiatives: Schiller
The
State of the State message of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich
established education as a high priority for his administration
and highlighted several programs to address critical needs
of the state’s schools, according to State Superintendent
of Education Robert E. Schiller.
“Quality
preschool programs have clearly proven to provide excellent
returns on our investment by saving future costs associated
with remediation and costs for social programs,”
Schiller said. “The Governor’s plan to reach
every at-risk three-and four-year-old child with preschool
programs within three years should yield sharp improvements
in the achievement and the success of these youngsters
as they move through their schooling and into the workforce
of tomorrow.”
“Nothing
is more important to a child’s academic success
than having a high-quality teacher. We must continue to
attract high-quality educators into our classrooms, and
the strategies outlined by Governor Blagojevich should
help to prevent expected shortages and assure that every
Illinois child is taught by a well-trained teacher.
“Parental
involvement is a key component of an effective school
system. The Governor’s emphasis on this critical
need provides a welcome boost to efforts to strengthen
this important support system for students. Parents are
a child’s first teacher, and they are key partners
throughout the educational process.
Governor
Blagojevich’s message recognizes the importance
of education in strengthening the future of every citizen
of the state. He has established a course for improved
student achievement, support critically needed to reinforce
the daily efforts of schools throughout the state.
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