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There has been a growing consensus across the country - from statehouses to the White House and the halls of Congress - that we need to take dramatic steps to improve our secondary schools.

And I think that we in America need to understand that many schools need improvement, and particularly with respect to how they're serving minority children.

More than anything, we must do better for our children's education.

We need to build on what we know works - local oversight of schools to keep a check on performance, timely interventions in schools to support those at risk of failing, and partnerships between schools to help each one to improve.

I really think the single most important thing to remember about trying to fix the schools is that there is no such thing as an instant result.

School reform is not enough. The notion of schooling itself must be challenged.

Instead of unfairly demonizing teachers, we should be working with them to find solutions to the problems in our schools and make sure every child gets an outstanding public education.

We have to provide good teachers, good environment, community involvement with schools.

The innovation and creativity that's so manifest in the rest of society needs to be turned on our school systems.

We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet.