Margaret Spellings, secretary of the U.S. Department of Education told a recent meeting of Georgia education and community leaders that she was "pleased that Georgia is doing so well," but she added that the state must "do better in science and math."

The news wasn't all bad. At a the round table held at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) Nov. 15, 2007, Spellings credited improvements in reading with "closing the gap" in recent Atlanta urban school test scores.

A new report, released by the National Center for Education Statistics reveals that when more than 4,000 fourth- and eighth-grade pupils at 71 Atlanta schools were tested in reading and math, Atlanta was the only major U.S. city system that improved in each subject at each grade level in the past five years. The report also revealed that Atlanta's average test scores continue to fall behind state and national averages.

Spellings told the group that while 40 percent of Georgia's high school graduates say they would like to eventually attend medical school, 40 percent of African-American high-school students have failed end-of-course tests. Spellings claimed that "math and science are the culprits." To remain competitive globally and ensure a supply of physicians and scientists, she encouraged Georgia's education leaders to "upgrade to rigorous math." She added that school systems "need to push for numeracy…as literacy was pushed."

She pleaded with the state's business community to partner with schools to make education more accessible. "No matter what the socioeconomic status of a student is, we must provide high quality education for all kids." Spellings said.

The cabinet member's visit was hosted by MSM President Emeritus Louis W. Sullivan, M.D. Sullivan - who served in the George Herbert Walker Bush cabinet as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - currently serves as both a member of Spelling's Commission on Higher Education and as chair of the President's Advisory Council of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's).