President Obama got a chance to sit down and talk with students in Wisconsin Wednesday. He spoke at a middle school in Madison.

President Obama was looking to challenge states to compete for more than four billion dollars in education reform money.

Obama spoke at James C. Wright Middle School in Madison. He says the U.S. continues to trail other countries in a number of critical areas, like science and math and he says some schools are lowering standards when they should be raising them.

"There's no excuse for mediocrity and we'll take drastic steps when schools aren't working," says President Obama.

He says getting America back to the top in education isn't a job just for his administration.

"Lifting up American education is not a task for government alone, it will take parents getting more involved," says Obama.

He says it's not just parents working with their kids. Educators also need to work with parents, and students need to also do their part.

"I have very high expectations for the students here. I told them to keep up the good work that you have already put in," says Obama.

Governor Jim Doyle says the state has some work to do as well.

"We know we have to step it up, we have to strive to reach the highest levels and we must face a hard truth here in Wisconsin that our achievement gap is one of the worst in the nation," says Governor Doyle.

State lawmakers are looking at reforms to improve the state's chances of for the $4.5 billion dollars.

The last time a sitting president came to Madison, was back in 1950, when Harry Truman made a visit to the capitol city.

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- President Barack Obama used his stop at a Madison middle school on Wednesday to focus on the opportunity to make education reform under the federal Race to the Top program.

He says it's time to make education reform America's national mission.

Obama spoke to about 600 students, parents, teachers, politicians and others at Madison's Wright Middle School.

He touted Race to the Top, which is a $4.5 billion grant program targeting innovative education reforms in states.

Wisconsin lawmakers are scheduled to pass a series of bills on Thursday to put the state in position to qualify and compete for the money. One major proposal, to give the mayor control of Milwaukee schools, is not up for a vote.

Obama did not mention the Milwaukee schools issue during his 35-minute speech.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)