SACRAMENTO — "I am pleased that Secretary Paige today approved California's No Child Left Behind accountability workbook. This approval is the culmination of a one-year effort by the hard working and dedicated staff at the California Department of Education and the State Board of Education. I also would like to thank the staff at the U.S. Department of Education that provided valuable input and feedback throughout this process.

"As a result, we now are able to begin the difficult task of implementation. And make no mistake, the signing of this workbook means the hard work has just begun. California was uniquely positioned for NCLB as we already had undertaken the difficult process of developing and implementing world-class standards and an accountability system for our schools. We know our system is successful since for the past five years our statewide test scores have continued to improve each and every year. Now as we integrate NCLB with our existing state system, the result must not be additional paperwork for our schools, but increased achievement for our students.

"I urge the Secretary and President Bush to remain flexible in their implementation, and to respect the need for states to decide what is best for their children. The goals of NCLB are laudable and I believe if implemented correctly could have lasting positive results. I look forward to entering this new phase in a collaborative manner so we can continue California's ongoing and successful efforts to raise student achievement."