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Improving Education
George Pataki believes that New York's children are the foundation of our state, which is why we are devoting more resources than ever to our schools. George Pataki will continue to direct those resources to our children in the classroom - and not to administrative bureaucracy.
The Pataki Record on Improving Education:
 - Children will be better served by schools that focus on teaching, not administration. Standards and expectations for schools are being raised.
- The Governor has given schools the two largest state aid increases in history. State aid to schools has increased by 21.6 percent under Governor Pataki.
- To improve educational opportunities for young children, the Governor has committed record amounts of new funding to expand pre-kindergarten programs across New York.
- Now, Governor Pataki is leading the fight in the legislature to pass the nation's strongest and most comprehensive charter schools legislation.
- Governor Pataki's new College Choice Tuition Savings Program creates tax deductible "college savings accounts," making it easier for families to save for a college education.
- The Governor has enabled more kids to go to college by providing financial aid to over 270,000 students and enabling the maximum TAP award to increase from $3,900 to $4,125
- New York Wired for Education, which wired 3,000 schools to the Internet and now helps them better use classroom technology, has vaulted New York into a national leadership role.
- Governor Pataki is also fighting to implement a pilot English immersion program. This program seeks to respond to the growing problem of students falling behind because they are not being taught the most common means of communication throughout our nation and in our state, the English language. Governor Pataki's program will allow local school districts to provide students with the opportunity to take intensive English classes during the summer.
- The Governor has successfully raised the standards of elementary education in New York. At the end of next school year, all fourth graders will be given a test to gauge their reading skills. Not only will this policy ensure that every child is reading at an acceptable level, but it will also provide extra help for those students in need. The Governor's plan will allow local school districts to offer special six-week classes in the summer for children who need extra help.
Additional Information
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