Many of us mark holidays, birthdays and other celebrations by taking photographs that capture a special event in a way that our eyes and our memories cannot. The opening of a new century is an excellent occasion for focusing our attention -- and a metaphorical camera -- on where we are today. As someone who has devoted his career to education, on the local and national levels, I would like to share with you a "snapshot" of U.S. education, taken from my perspective, halfway through the year 2000.

We are looking at an aspect of U.S. society -- education -- that is more open, more diverse and more inclusive than ever before in our history. Public education is changing for the better. On the other hand, there is much more to be done to fulfill the American promise of equal opportunity for all and to close the gaps between rich and poor, white and non-white. By continuing to adapt and improve our system of education, the United States can become a stronger nation and continue to work with other nations to bring peace, prosperity and education to citizens throughout the world.

The Current Picture

Let's begin looking at the contours of the snapshot -- certain trends and statistics. This past spring, the U.S. Department of Education issued a report, The Condition of Education 2000. Some of the trends it pinpointed offer evidence that our current policies and programs are on the right track. Other indicators highlight areas that policymakers and educators need to address so our nation can continue to grow and prosper in the Information Age.

The report found that the benefits of attending college are greater today than ever before. In 1970, the average young American male with a bachelor's degree had an income 24 percent higher than that of one possessing merely a high school diploma. As of 1998, the "college bonus" for men had risen to 56 percent. For young American women, the "college bonus" rose from 82 percent in 1970 to 100 percent in 1998. That means that young women in the United States who graduated from college earned twice as much as their female peers who never attended college.

In addition, more students are going directly from high school to college. Between 1992 and 1998 alone, that percentage rose from 62 percent to 66 percent. But the rates are lower for students from low-income families. Our research has found that providing academic preparation and encouragement can help to close this gap. To get on the path to college, students need to take rigorous high school courses in mathematics and science, and gateway courses in middle school -- that is, from grades six through eight. These findings offer strong evidence for two courses of action: to provide financial aid for students attending college, and to help disadvantaged children in their early teens think about and prepare for college.

Today, many more students in the United States are taking rigorous science and math courses that prepare them for college than in years past. In 1982, 11 percent of high school graduates completed courses like trigonometry, pre-calculus and calculus. By 1998, 27 percent had completed that type of advanced coursework. Over the same period, the percentage taking advanced science courses rose from 31 percent to 60 percent.

Still, although there is improvement in our math and science coursework, many believe that the United States has much to learn from other nations in this area. Data collected for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) show that the content of eighth-grade mathematics lessons in the United States was more likely to be rated of lower quality than similar lessons in Japan and Germany. Also, statistics showed that there were more "student-controlled tasks," reflecting independent student solutions, in eighth-grade mathematics classes in Germany and Japan than in this country, in which the overwhelming number of lessons were "task-controlled" -- demonstrated by teachers and then replicated by students. Educators and policymakers in the United States plan to use the TIMSS videotape classrooms to help improve our math and science teaching, and, in the process, student achievement.

The Condition of Education 2000 also includes research on younger students. It notes that 66 percent of children entering kindergarten can recognize letters of the alphabet. That means most are ready to begin the process of learning to read, but one-third are not. We can raise this number by providing effective pre-school programs for more children and by encouraging parents to read with their children. While we are encouraged by the results, we are also working to increase our efforts to support and expand early childhood learning and parental involvement.

The student population in our public schools is not only growing but also changing. Hispanic enrollment increased from six percent in 1972 to 15 percent in 1998. With significant increases in the number of students who may not speak English at home, this report suggests that we need to be prepared to help students with limited English proficiency to succeed in school.

Education in the Information Age

Today, international travel is common, the Internet allows technologies to cross national borders, and even small businesses are importing and exporting. The education system of the United States should reflect these changes. In response to these developments and to our continuing effort to strengthen international relations, President Clinton launched an historic initiative to strengthen America's commitment to international education. It is the first initiative of its kind in the United States in over 35 years. It establishes four main goals: To increase the number of student exchanges; to expand educational technology and distance learning opportunities; to ensure that all American students learn at least one foreign language and learn about foreign cultures; and to share information about good education practices with other countries.

In an international economy, knowledge - and knowledge of language - is power. Knowing a second language is more valuable than ever. I believe that citizens who speak English and another language will be a great resource for our nation in the coming years. To that end, I am encouraging schools in the United States to adopt the dual language approach, which we also sometimes refer to as "English plus one." This approach challenges young people to meet high academic standards in two languages.

For the last 100 years, U.S. education has been defined by certain assumptions that are now outdated -- such as teaching being seen as a nine-month responsibility, and held mostly by women who are paid comparatively low wages. We must hire more than two million new teachers in the next decade. This will require a dramatic overhaul of how we recruit, prepare, induct and retain good teachers. The Clinton Administration has proposed a $1 billion investment to support efforts to improve the quality of our teachers. Furthermore, I have proposed that school districts begin moving to make teaching a year-round profession over the course of the next five years, and to pay teachers accordingly for that additional commitment of time.

Raising Expectations and Student Performance

At the core of all these efforts to raise student achievement and improve schools has been an unprecedented effort in the last decade to help states put new high standards into place for all our children. We believe that a quality education for every child is a "new civil right" for the 21st century. Our effort to raise standards for all students is an important step towards guaranteeing this new civil right. But setting new expectations and reaching for high standards has to be accomplished in an appropriate way. I have called for a review of the standards movement. High-stakes tests, including high school exit exams, are part of setting high standards. At the same time, students and teachers need the preparation time and resources in order to succeed. Morevoer, students must have multiple opportunities to demonstrate competence. Educators should rely on more than one measure to make a final decision.

To give students and teachers every opportunity to succeed, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have proposed the largest increase ever in the U.S. education budget. We are working to create alternatives and offer intensive help to students who are struggling to pass high-stakes tests.

Students' difficulties often start before they enter school or take their first classroom exam. As a result, we have put a new focus on early childhood education and early reading. If all parents would read to their children 30 minutes a day, we could revolutionize education in America. Many parents in the U.S. have full-time jobs, during which they cannot care for their children. We are working to provide safe learning environments for children too young to begin formal schooling.

School-age children with working parents also benefit from after-school programs. The fact is that children's minds don't shut down at three o'clock in the afternoon. Neither should their schools. To counter this, we have increased investments in after-school enrichment programs that provide safe havens for constructive activities. Statistics show that children who attend regularly get better grades, improve in math and reading, have better classroom deportment, spend less time watching television and have better relations with their peers. They are also not on the streets or in shopping malls between 2 and 8 p.m., when statistics indicate youth crime is at its peak.

Student safety is an important aspect of education because children can learn more if they feel safe and secure. In general, our schools are safe -- safer than many other environments in which children find themselves. Although students spend as much as eight hours a day at school, less than one percent of homicides among school-age children occur in or around school grounds or on the way to and from school. And in 1997, 90 percent of schools reported that they had no serious crime. I believe that we can keep children safe by giving them a strong sense of connection that can be fostered in schools. To do this, schools can establish programs to help children resolve conflicts and discover the difference between right and wrong. Equitable discipline policies, smaller schools and smaller classes often help build stronger connections in schools.

One of the resources that is not distributed equally in our schools is technology. We call this gap the "digital divide." Technology is an important part of the way we live and work. Education, including technology training, can lift people out of poverty and help them overcome adversity. In that regard, we are working to provide every school with the technology that students will need if they are going to succeed in this century. Our E-Rate program, which gives schools discounts of up to 90 percent for Internet access, has helped us connect 95 percent of the nation's schools to the Internet.

Computers and Internet access are important factors in helping students learn to use technology, but they have little value if teachers do not know how to use technology effectively. The U.S. Department of Education has established several programs to address this. The Technology Literacy Challenge Fund supports professional development programs so teachers can learn to use technology effectively in the classroom. Another initiative, Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology, provides grants to colleges to help ensure that students preparing to become teachers can learn new teaching and learning styles enabled by technology.

Education Policies for the Future

Across the United States, on every level of activity, education policies are subjects of discussion and debate among our citizens. We believe that the nation's education policies must change to reflect the increasing importance of education, the pervasiveness of technology and changes in student enrollment. A glimpse toward the future suggests that charter schools will become more prevalent in the United States. Although they use public funds, charter schools operate with more freedom and flexibility than typical public schools. The Clinton Administration has supported, and continues to support, charter schools and other innovations that give parents more choices in public schools.

I predict our schools will be open to students and adults for longer hours, providing access to computers for families that cannot afford their own personal computers and classes for adults who are seeking to improve their careers. Public education will be less about a fixed location and a fixed schedule, and much more about learning anytime and anywhere. Technology -- electronic learning --will change every aspect of U.S. education.

Summing Up

Obviously, making wise decisions about our education policies today will help us build a bright future. If our counterparts -- policymakers in other nations -- establish research-based policies that reflect technological advances and challenge all students to do their very best, we will be giving our children and grandchildren around the world a most precious legacy.