Providing all of our children with the opportunity to get a quality education is among the most important challenges of the new century.

Today, many communities across the nation are in the unfortunate position of not having enough public schools to provide their rapidly growing population of young people with a quality education. And in many other communities, the public schools that do exist are old, run down and lack the modern tools needed to provide children with an education that prepares them to succeed.

In fact, at least 2,400 new public schools will be needed nationwide by 2003 to accommodate rising enrollments and to relieve overcrowding. Thousands more will be needed in following years.

The President's budget includes a proposal to meet this challenge.