Remarks of The Honorable Dale E. Kildee Press Conference on   Excellence and Accountability in Education Act   January 31, 2001   Good morning, George Miller and I are introducing this legislation to put the emphasis on results and accountability in our education programs. While there has been some progress in educational achievement in recent years, we must do more. A serious and troubling achievement gap exists between disadvantaged children and their non-disadvantaged peers. Low-income students are far more likely to be taught by a teacher who is teaching out of field or is uncertified. These practices must end, and the Excellence and Accountability in Education Act will help accomplish this goal. This legislation will ensure that States institute a 10-year plan to eliminate the achievement gap and a 4-year plan to ensure that all children are taught by fully qualified teachers. These accountability provisions are not accomplished through private school vouchers or through block grants. This legislation also provides funding for important national priorities of school construction and renovation, class size reduction, school safety, closing the digital divide and after school programs. This bill also streamlines and focuses ESEA’s education technology programs. Most importantly, this legislation calls for historic investments in new education funding totaling $110 billion over the next five years. With the recent unveiling of the President’s education initiative, there is strong bipartisan interest in working together to accomplish meaningful education reform. It is my hope that as we begin this process we can avoid divisive issues and focus on areas of agreement. I believe the bill that we are introducing today reaffirms some of our strongest priorities which we will be seeking to enact this Congress. I know that Mr. Miller and I look forward to working with the President and our Republican Congressional colleagues in accomplishing this.