--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We expect the states to show us whether…" description: "\"We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives-like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write.\" — Geo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/george-w-bush-64_ability_we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether_1993633.jpg" --- # We expect the states to show us whether or not we're… ![“We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives-like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/george-w-bush-64_ability_we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether_1993633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/george-w-bush-64_ability_we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether_1993633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/george-w-bush-64_ability_we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether_1993633.jpg) > “We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives-like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write.” [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. States must demonstrate achievement of basic literacy and numeracy goals. **In simple terms:** States need to show they meet basic education standards. Key Takeaway Focus on measurable education outcomes. Themes education policy literacy math accountability Mood analytical concerned Type policy inspirational When to use this quote - school districts - state legislatures - parent‑teacher meetings - budget planning Key Concepts standards assessment public reporting Questions to Reflect On - What additional skills should be measured? - How can we ensure quality beyond basic literacy? A Different Perspective Emphasis on simple metrics may ignore broader learning skills. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Literacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literacy/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Read And Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-and-write/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Creativity is very much like literacy. We take it for granted that nearly everybody can learn to read and write. If a person can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/creativity-is-very-much-like-literacy-we-take-it-for-granted-that/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [“If we have no form of cognitive learning, our knowledge is empty with the absence of words in our mind for us to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saaif-alam/if-we-have-no-form-of-cognitive-learning-our-knowledge-is-empty-with/) [Saaif Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saaif-alam/) > [“I can read and write in nine different languages, two of which are dead ones and two fictional ones. I can solve complex mathematical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-mells/i-can-read-and-write-in-nine-different-languages-two-of-which-are/) J.C. Mells > [There weren't any schools in my village, so I learnt to read and write from my mother. I played in the fields, sowing seeds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonam-wangchuk/there-weren-t-any-schools-in-my-village-so-i-learnt-to-read-and-write/) [Sonam Wangchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonam-wangchuk/) > [I didn't go to high school. I think that after you learn to read and write and do your numbers and flush the toilet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilford-brimley/i-didn-t-go-to-high-school-i-think-that-after-you-learn-to-read-and/) [Wilford Brimley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilford-brimley/) > [Programming is how we talk to the machines that are increasingly woven into our lives. If you aren't a programmer, you're like one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/programming-is-how-we-talk-to-the-machines-that-are-increasingly/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [I loathed every day and regret every day I spent in school. I like to be taught to read and write and add and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-loathed-every-day-and-regret-every-day-i-spent-in-school-i-like-to/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [No one in this world, so far as I know--and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me--has ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/no-one-in-this-world-so-far-as-i-know-and-i-have-searched-the-records/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“The last line of Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen is addressed to the American people and their congressmen. "As they deal with me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/the-last-line-of-hawaii-s-story-by-hawaii-s-queen-is-addressed-to-the/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [I learned to play by ear before I learned music theory. For me, that makes sense. After all, children learn to speak before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/i-learned-to-play-by-ear-before-i-learned-music-theory-for-me-that/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [I will take classes in Kannada and will learn to read and write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-thukral/i-will-take-classes-in-kannada-and-will-learn-to-read-and-write-it/) [Nikita Thukral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-thukral/) > [There is no secret to success except hard work and getting something indefinable which we call 'the breaks.' In order for a writer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/countee-cullen/there-is-no-secret-to-success-except-hard-work-and-getting-something/) [Countee Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/countee-cullen/) > [I feel very privileged to get to read and write and not to have to do things that I don't like, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/i-feel-very-privileged-to-get-to-read-and-write-and-not-to-have-to-do/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [I read and write for most of the day, but I do let myself be interrupted by real life. I enjoy going out with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/i-read-and-write-for-most-of-the-day-but-i-do-let-myself-be/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [I read and write but my ideas don't go beyond the first draft. When they will, I will make it into a film probably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antara-mali/i-read-and-write-but-my-ideas-don-t-go-beyond-the-first-draft-when/) [Antara Mali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antara-mali/) ## More by George W. Bush > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-those-are-the-ones/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“One of our energy strategies is to increase the CAFE standards to 35 miles per hour..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-our-energy-strategies-is-to-increase-the-cafe-standards-to-35/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Explore all 1,717 George W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives-like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George W. Bush" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether-or-not-we-re-achieving-simple/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether-or-not-we-re-achieving-simple/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/george-w-bush-64_ability_we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether_1993633.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/george-w-bush-64_ability_we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether_1993633.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/george-w-bush-64_ability_we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether_1993633.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives-like literacy, literacy in…” — George W. Bush", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George W. Bush", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We expect the states to show...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether-or-not-we-re-achieving-simple/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-expect-the-states-to-show-us-whether-or-not-we-re-achieving-simple/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```