Craney Applauds Clinton's Education Proposals

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President Clinton's new proposals for smaller class sizes and modernized school facilities give public education a huge boost in its quest to meet the challenges of the 21st century, WEAC President Terry Craney said Wednesday.

"These are the types of initiatives we need in Wisconsin to help our children meet continuously higher academic standards," Craney said. "We applaud the president for his wisdom in identifying key issues that determine academic success."

Wisconsin teachers can testify to the fact that smaller class sizes lead directly to greater academic success, Craney said. In addition, they know firsthand that modern and well-equipped learning environments help students learn and teachers teach, he said. Modern facilities and equipment help keep students focused and productive.

Craney was in La Crosse Wednesday to greet Clinton, who was making an appearance at the La Crosse Center the day after his nationally televised State of the Union speech. About 30,000 people jammed downtown La Crosse to hear the president.

In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Clinton proposed an initiative to help finance $20 billion in public school modernization.

Clinton also proposed to help lower class sizes in grades 1-3 to a national average of 18 by hiring 100,000 new teachers.

"Smaller class sizes lead to more individualized attention, and that is a key element to effective teaching and learning," Craney said.

In Wisconsin, the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) program has lowered class sizes in kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms in 30 schools with high concentrations of low-income students, Craney noted. A recent analysis of the first year of that program confirmed that students are learning more and discipline problems are decreasing in those classrooms.

Craney also expressed support for Clinton's proposals that:

• Create high standards for new teachers, with a requirement that all new teachers be either certified or on a professional track to certification.
• Strengthen both urban and rural education through grants for Education Opportunity Zones.
• Enhance after-school programs.
• Expand work-study programs for college students.

"We're pleased that President Clinton came here to Wisconsin, where public education has been a national success story in the 20th century, to advance initiatives that will take us all to even greater heights in the 21st century," Craney said.

Posted January 28, 1998; Updated January 30, 1998