In September 1989, President George Bush convened the nation's governors in an historic education summit at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The summit resulted in the development of six national education goals that serve as the framework for school reform.
The six goals were developed to set a standard for education that the nation could strive to achieve. They were not intended to serve as a federal mandate, but to foster reform efforts that would make the public education system in America second to none worldwide. Two of the governors who provided strong leadership toward these goals were the current president of the United States, Bill Clinton, and current Secretary of Education, Richard Riley.
The six national education goals have recently been expanded to eight:
All children in America will start school ready to learn.
The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent.
All students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter including English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civic and government, economics, arts, history, and geography, and every school in America will ensure that all students learn to use their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our modern economy.
United States students will be first in the world in mathematics and science achievement.
Every adult American will be literate and will possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Every school in the United States will be free of drugs, violence, and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
The nation's teaching force will have access to programs for the continued improvement of their professional skills and the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to instruct and prepare all American students for the next century.
Every school will promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement and participation in promoting the social, emotional, and academic growth of children.