February 26, 2003

U.S. Secretary of Education Paige
brings reform goals to campus

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige will discuss current challenges in elementary and secondary education at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 12 at California State University, Sacramento’s Steven Yamshon Alumni Center.

Paige is a champion of education reform in the United States and is sure to discuss the Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind Act.

The Act, signed into law last year, makes big changes to elementary and secondary education. It is an effort to change the government’s role in education by having schools describe their success in terms of what each student accomplishes.

Paige, the son of public school educators, has dedicated his career to public education and helping teachers to excel in their profession. Before being selected by President George W. Bush as the seventh Secretary of Education, Paige served in a number of positions with the Houston Independent School District before being selected superintendent of schools in 1994.

Among his accomplishments during his tenure in Houston was the launch of a system of charter schools that were given broad authority in decisions regarding staffing, textbooks and materials. He also introduced teacher incentive pay, designed to reward educators for outstanding performance and creative solutions to educational problems. In 2001, the American Association of School Administrators named Paige the National Superintendent of the Year.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Wilson Riles Education Scholarship, established in recognition of Wilson Riles, state superintendent of public instruction for California from 1971 to 1983. During his tenure as superintendent Riles established an early-childhood education program that became a national model.

Tickets for the event are $15 for general admission and $5 for students and are available at the CSUS Ticket Office at (916) 278-4323 and at www.tickets.com. For media assistance, contact the CSUS public affairs office at (916) 278-6156.

####