For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 5, 2004
Press Gaggle with Scott McClellan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route St. Louis, Missouri
1:54 P.M. EST
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. I brought a guest gaggler back
with me, Margaret Spellings, to talk to you here in a little bit about
the President's education reforms and how we are -- this month marks
the two year anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act. And I'll
turn that over to her in a minute.
Let me start with the President's day. The President had a couple
world leader calls this morning. The President called President Karzai
to congratulate him and the members of the Loya Jirga on their
success yesterday in adoption of a new constitution. President Karzai
thanked the President and said it was a great day for Afghanistan. The
two briefly discussed the war on terrorism and the Kandahar-Kabul
highway.
Then the President also called President-elect Berger of Guatemala,
to congratulate him on his electoral victory. And both leaders
affirmed their mutual interest in a strong, cooperative relationship
between the United States and Guatemala.
Then the President had his usual briefings. When we land, the
President will have a Freedom Corps greeter. His name is Jeff Tank,
and he's an active volunteer who has been involved in Big Brothers/Big
Sisters of Eastern Missouri. He is currently a mentor for an 11 year
old boy. He has been mentoring him for two years now. And he's also
treasurer of Alternatives to Living in Violent Environments -- ALIVE is
the acronym. It's a nonprofit that provides support services and
short-term emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Then the President will go to Pierre Laclede Elementary School.
It's a blue ribbon school, which is the highest award a school can
receive from the federal government. There are 244 students at the
school, in pre-K through 5. It is a Title I school, 96 percent of the
students are low income, from low income families; and 99 percent of
the student body is African American. And they have made great
progress in reading and math achievement. The school has also achieved
the annual yearly progress under No Child Left Behind.
When he gets there, the President will briefly visit with some 4th
grade students in the library, and that will be pool coverage. And
then the President will participate in a conversation on the No Child
Left Behind Act with parents, teachers and school officials. And I'm
going to let Margaret continue on this.
The only other event this evening is he will make remarks at a
Bush-Cheney 2004 reception in St. Louis, as well, before we return to
the White House.
And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Margaret, to talk a
little more about No Child Left Behind.
MS. SPELLINGS: As Scott mentioned, this is the -- this week is the
second anniversary of No Child Left Behind, the signing of. We're
going to highlight the success of Laclede Elementary. As Scott
mentioned, it's a blue ribbon school. This year the blue ribbon award
is being aligned with the policies in No Child Left Behind, including
the need to make adequate yearly progress and more of a results
orientation, as opposed to input, number of books in the library, that
sort of thing.
They are one of 234 schools in the country that has this
distinction. They have gotten these results by using regular
monitoring and assessment and modifying instruction accordingly.
You'll see one of the teachers talk about their monitoring system and
how they modify the instructions so that no child is left behind, and
how they meet these great gains they've made.
The President is also going to highlight the significant federal
resources that we've invested since he came to office: 43 percent
increase in K-12 funding overall; 41 percent increase in Title I
funding -- this is obviously all with OMNI -- reading funds will be
nearly quadrupled. Teachers and principles, 39 percent increase in
those resources, and a 59 percent increase in special education.
As I know some of you know and it's been reported, in November we
got the new NAEP results back, where we saw very significant gains in
mathematics, in particular, up nine points for 4th graders and --
Q Wait, wait, what is up nine points?
MS. SPELLINGS: Mathematics.
Q For?
MS. SPELLINGS: NAEP results, national NAEP results -- the National
Assessment of Educational Progress. This was reported in November.
And then as late as late December, the urban NAEP results came out. As
you know, the National Assessment of Educational Progress was one of
the parts of No Child Left Behind, and for the first time we're
beginning to use -- have results and gather this data and use the data
in the year it was gathered. So this spring these kids took these
tests and now we know kind of how the achievement looks. So much more
instant feedback, if you will, on assessment results.
MR. McCLELLAN: With that, we'll go to questions.
Q What are the results for this particular school and for the
St. Louis school district?
MS. SPELLINGS: For Laclede, I don't know if I brought that with
me, but I have it somewhere. Laclede in particular, they are one of
the top 10 most improved schools in Missouri, I know that. Okay, here
at Laclede, in '99, 7 percent of 3rd graders were reading proficiently,
now over 80 percent of the 3rd graders are reading at that level. In
the past two years they've doubled the number of students who test at
grade level in mathematics. And as I said, they're a blue ribbon
school. You'll meet some of these outstanding educators today.
Q -- in Tennessee, the school we're going to in Knoxville?
MS. SPELLINGS: I don't have it with me, but we have -- they, too,
have made adequate yearly progress in keeping with No Child Left
Behind.
MR. McCLELLAN: Any other questions for Margaret?
Q What's going on in the St. Louis school district, more
generally?
MS. SPELLINGS: I'm actually really not very apprised of that. I
mean, I know they've had some funding issues and so on, but we're here
to highlight No Child Left Behind and the great results of this
school.
Q How about Missouri schools, in general? What's going on
there?
MS. SPELLINGS: Missouri schools, actually the achievement results
on the MAP test is what they call it, are beginning to show progress
there. I have that back -- I'll look that up for you, but Missouri has
an annual assessment system. Obviously, all 50 states are compliant
with the assessment requirements, and they have received a reading
grant. In fact, this coming week they will be training teachers with
their reading grant money in Missouri.
Q Margaret, you said the President is going to emphasize
federal resources that have gone to schools, but the Democrats are
saying the budget isn't enough. Do you expect that we would see a move
towards a higher -- even more resources in the coming budget?
MS. SPELLINGS: Well, as you know, the President has been
committed, since his term, to very significant increases in resources
as evidenced by these numbers, you know, 41 percent, Title I increases,
and the like. As you know, states have -- there are about $6 billion,
actually, in the Treasury that are unspent funds that states are
entitled to that have not been drawn down yet. So it's hard to believe
that there are not adequate resources in light of additional resources
that are in the bank waiting for them to be spent.
MR. McCLELLAN: I would just add, what's most important is that we
are now insisting on results. We are providing unprecedented
resources, but we're also now insisting on results and accountability.
We're setting high standards because the President believes that every
child can learn and succeed. And that's what this is about. But as
Margaret mentioned, that this is an unprecedented amount of resources
that we are providing to help these schools meet these standards.
Q Scott, I recall seeing some polling last year that showed
many Americans were not familiar with this signature of accomplishment
of the President's. Why this tour this week to emphasize this bill,
this law?
MS. SPELLING: -- the two years that it has been in place, the
anniversary, the approval of 50 state plans, the 50 state reading
grants, and so forth, just to highlight the progress at this milestone
of two years.
MR. McCLELLAN: This has always been one of the President's highest
priorities, improving public schools so that every child can learn has
always been one of his highest priorities.
Q -- heightened awareness at the same time?
MR. McCLELLAN: We continue to highlight the important progress
that we are making and the reforms that are being implemented all
across the country.
All right, thanks. We'll see you all. Anything else?
Q Does the President have any problem on the CIA leak with
members of his staff citing these confidentiality agreements?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, I would remind you that the
President has directed the White House to cooperate fully with the
career officials who are leading this investigation. And that's
exactly what he expects the White House to continue doing. We have been
and we will continue to do so. I think also in the spirit of
cooperating fully with the career officials who are investigating this
matter, it's important that we do everything we can to preserve the
integrity of the investigation and not compromise it.
And so I think it's best that if there are specific questions
relating to the investigation or what the career officials are doing,
that you should direct those questions to the career officials.
Q I'm asking whether the President will direct his staff.
MR. McCLELLAN: I understand, and that's asking a specific question
about matters that should be directed to the career officials at the
Department of Justice. The President has made it very clear that the
White House should cooperate fully in this investigation. The
President said -- has always said that leaking classified information
is a serious matter, and certainly no one wants to get to the bottom of
this more than he does, so that we can find out the truth. And the
President has said from early on that if anybody has information, they
should come forward and share it with those who are leading this
investigation.
Q You're deflecting to DOJ, but of course, I'm asking what the
President will do, what the White House thinks about these disclosure
forms.
MR. McCLELLAN: And why I'm saying that you should direct those
questions to the Department of Justice is because there is an ongoing
investigation underway, and we want to do everything we can to help
that investigation move forward. The sooner they get to the bottom of
this, the better. That's our view. And I've said this in response to
other questions about specific matters that career officials may be
working on, as well, that you should direct those questions to the
career officials at the Department of Justice who are leading the
investigation. But the President has made it very clear that he
expects the White House to cooperate fully in that --
Q -- in the position of writing in our stories that you decline
to say what the President --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that what I am saying is that the President
-- well, one, that the President has made it very clear that we should
cooperate fully with the investigation, that the White House should
cooperate fully in the investigation, and that because this is an
ongoing investigation, I think that those questions need to be directed
to the career officials at the Justice Department. If there is
information that they believe they can share publicly without
compromising the ongoing investigation, then I imagine that they will
share that information with you. And that's why I'm saying that you
should direct those questions to the career officials.
Q Just one last thing on this, have any waiver requests hit
White House staff desks?
MR. McCLELLAN: See, that's asking specific questions about an
ongoing investigation, and there -- if there are specific questions
being asked of White House officials, we wouldn't necessarily know
about that. That's why you should direct those questions to the career
officials. And, as I said, I imagine if they want to share that
information publicly and they believe that they can do so in a way that
won't compromise an ongoing investigation, then they will do it.
Q Scott, are you willing to say that the President thinks that
his aides should sign these forms if they're asked to by the FBI?
MR. McCLELLAN: But that's getting into specific questions that I'm
not aware that the career officials at the FBI or the Justice
Department have discussed publicly at this point. That's why I think
you should step back from this and look at what the President said.
The President made it very clear that he expects the White House to
cooperate fully in this investigation, because it's important that we
do everything we can to help the career officials get to the bottom of
this, and the sooner, the better.
Q But Scott, does full cooperation that he's asking for mean
that if the DOJ ask for anything -- forget the specific question about
the waivers -- that his staff should feel obligated to cooperate with
that request?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has made it very clear. He
expects the White House to cooperate fully. That's what --
Q Any DOJ request?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- he has said repeatedly, he wants the White House
to cooperate fully, he wants anyone who has information that can help
in this investigation to come forward with that information and provide
it to those who are leading this investigation.
And now, you all are trying to get into specific questions. Again,
where you're asking about specific -- previously have we -- have
specific people been interviewed by the career officials? Those are
questions that you need to ask the people who are leading this
investigation, because it is an ongoing investigation. But make no
mistake about it, the President was very clear in stating that
everybody -- that the White House should cooperate fully in this
investigation.
Q Has the President heard the purported bin Laden tape at all?
Or do you have anything on that, any bin Laden audio tape?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, our intelligence team has analyzed it for --
to determine whether it is authentic or not. And they have determined
that it is likely that the voice on the tape is bin Laden's. And I
think that obviously we will continue to carefully review the contents
of the tape.
Q Do you think it's possible that with all the scrutiny and the
orange alert last week, and the last two weeks, that the U.S. has
actually disrupted a planned attack? And have there been any
indications that there might be time to step down?
MR. McCLELLAN: That there might -- well, one, in terms of the
threat level, I think Secretary Ridge has addressed that earlier -- or
addressed that earlier today. We are always looking at the threat level
to determine at what level it should. But I think that it was made very
clear that the reason we raised the threat level to high risk of
terrorist attack, or to orange, was because of information that we were
receiving that indicated that there could be a probability of terrorist
attacks during the holiday season and beyond.
And so it's something that is constantly reviewed, and it's
reviewed on a daily basis. And it's based on the consensus judgment,
the determination of where that threat level should be. And right now
it remains at high.
Q My question is, though, is there any feeling in the
administration that the way that the U.S. responded in the last couple
of weeks may have disrupted an imminent attack?
MR. McCLELLAN: Whether the intelligence has disrupted -- well,
one, we do -- when we receive actionable intelligence, we act on it. I
think that people have seen that the Department of Homeland Security is
working hard, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and that they are
continuing to stay on top of all such matters. And I think that it's
difficult to tell, sometimes, maybe at this early stage, what may or
may not have been disrupted. But we do know that when we see increased
chatter, and we elevate the -- based on some credible information, and
we elevate the threat level, that it has served as a deterrent to
terrorist attacks. And that information has come from people that have
been captured.
Q Is there any danger in -- it seems like every time we have a
holiday season, the threat level goes up. Is there any danger -- the
reason I'm asking is if you've managed to disrupt anything, or if you
think you may have disrupted anything, is there any danger that you get
into a situation where the American people just think you're crying
wolf?
MR. McCLELLAN: No. One, whenever there is specific and credible
information, we share it appropriately. I think Secretary Ridge made
it very clear when he announced that we were raising the threat level
that we share information with states and local officials; we share it
with the private sector. We also share that information with foreign
governments, as well, so that we can make decisions and act on that
intelligence.
And that's exactly what we've been doing. I think the American
people understand that we are living in a post-9/11 world, and when we
have specific and credible information, we will share that information
and we will act on that information in order to make sure we are doing
everything we can to protect the American people. And that's what we
have been doing. There has been some specific and credible information
that we have shared with others.
Q Should we expect any new immigration measures this week as
the President gets ready to go to Mexico?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think -- one, the President indicated that
he would be talking more about that soon at his news conference before
the holidays. The President has long talked about the importance of
having an immigration policy that matches willing workers with willing
employers. America is a -- it's important for America to be a
welcoming society. We are a nation of immigrants, and we're better for
it.
And so in that respect -- and I would point out, too, that in the
post-September 11th time frame we have gone to extraordinary steps to
strengthen our border security and make America more secure. And I
think that the President will have more to say soon on his approach to
matching willing workers with willing employers. There is certainly an
economic need that exists.
Q Is he going to meet with the new Canadian Prime Minister, do
you know, in Mexico? Will he meet with the new Canadian Prime Minister
--
MR. McCLELLAN: Are you asking about next week in Mexico? I don't
have the schedule details for next week yet, right now.
Q Scott, in addition to the usual briefings and the two foreign
leader calls, is there anything else the President did this morning
that you're able to share with us?
MR. McCLELLAN: It's a typical day -- policy briefings and his
usual intelligence briefings in the morning.
Q There are reports that the administration is going to allow
Iraqi Kurds to form a semi-autonomous state within Iraq. Number one,
is that the case? And number two, does that in any way contradict the
President's pledge to have a one sovereign Iraqi state?
MR. McCLELLAN: The Coalition Provisional Authority -- well, one,
we have always said it is important to maintain the territorial
integrity of Iraq. And we are strongly committed to that. But there
was a November 15th agreement reached with -- reached between the
Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraqi Governing Council. And
so that's the framework that the Iraqis are moving forward on. And
we're -- the Coalition Provisional Authority is working with them to
help them implement that agreement. And we are assisting the Iraqis as
they move forward on that agreement.
And I think in terms of -- it outlined a framework for moving
forward, and that the Iraqi people will be the ones who will make the
decisions within that framework as they move forward. But no, we are
strongly committed to the territorial integrity of Iraq.
Q Within the territorial integrity of Iraq, if the Kurds were
to form some sort of semi-autonomous territory within that framework,
is that something the administration can endorse?
MR. McCLELLAN: As I said, there is a framework. You need to look
at the November 15th agreement. That's the framework for moving
forward on transferring sovereignty to the Iraqi people. And we are
making some good progress already in moving forward on that agreement.
And as Iraqis are ready to assume more and more responsibility, we are
transferring that responsibility to the Iraqi people. But I think that
you have to look at the framework, and that the Iraqi people will work
within that framework and we'll assist them along the way, to make the
determinations on the specifics within that framework. I think you're
asking a question that would --
Q -- framework, if they're okay, the Iraqi people want that,
you're okay if they're okay with it?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, we're committed to moving forward and
assisting the Iraqi Governing Council and the Iraqi people on
implementing the November 15th agreement. That's what you need to look
at. That's the foundation for moving forward to transfer sovereignty.
There will be issues under that, related to federalism, that the Iraqi
people will decide within that framework.
Q What's he doing this afternoon?
MR. McCLELLAN: I wouldn't read one thing -- anything into that,
one way or the other.
Q Anything special going on this afternoon between the last
education event and the fundraiser?
MR. McCLELLAN: No.
Q Meetings, anything --
MR. McCLELLAN: No, nothing to update you on at this point.
Q Any opinion on Pete Rose admitting he bet on baseball?
MR. McCLELLAN: I haven't asked him about it. Haven't asked him
about it.
All right, thanks.
END 2:16 P.M. EST
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