Reading, Writing And Reform
President Bush has sent to Congress a plan for his signature campaign issue: improving America's schools.
"Our goal is to improve public education," Mr. Bush said in an East Room sendoff Tuesday for his education package, which centers around school vouchers - though the president was cautious in his use of that hot-button term.
Mr. Bush said he wants to require annual state reading and math tests for students in every grade in order to gather reliable data on "who's falling behind and who needs help."
"Once failing schools are identified, we'll help them improve. We'll help them help themselves," said Mr. Bush, flanked by Education Secretary Rod Paige.
| Missing W's!!! President Bush has lost his middle initial from many computer keyboards at the Old Executive Office Building in the White House complex. In an apparent prank carried out by departing Clinton administration staffers, Bush aides discovered that dozens of computer keyboards were missing the "W" key. Bush aides said on Tuesday that the W is marked out in some cases, but often the key has been removed - and sometimes taped on top of doorways - or damaged with the spring broken. Mr. Bush made a big deal out of his middle initial during campaign rallies, often holding up the middle three fingers of his hand to form a W. He would joke to crowds that if Vice President Al Gore was so smart, then why does every Internet address start with a W. "And not just one W. Three Ws!" he would exult. Bush aides were working to repair or replace the keys. (Reuters) |
Asked about options other than vouchers, he replied: "What alternative do we have to putting children in schools that have already proved they're failing?"
In the Bush plan, failing schools have three years to get up to standards, so that pupils are able to achieve, before federal funds are stripped for other uses such as vouchers.
"When schools do not teach and will not change, parents and students must have other meaningful options," Mr. Bush said.
"If somebody's got a better idea, I hope they bring it forward."
Mr. Bush, who said he wanted legislation enacted by summer so that school districts have time to implement reforms for the 2001-02 academic year, met privately on Tuesday morning with top congressional Republicans and Democrats who oversee education policy-making.
Responding to the Bush announcement, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said that despite ifferences with the president over vouchers, Democrats are eager to work with him on education.
"The areas which he pointed out where we are in agreement, I thought were very substantial. I, for one, am interested in getting some action," Kennedy said outside the White House.
"What is important today is that we have a president that wants to make this a strong priority on education and I think we have those that have leadership positions in the House and Senate that want to work with him and get something meaningful done," the Democrat said.
Meanwhile, a group of moderate Democrats, led by Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Evan Bayh of Indiana, are unveiling an alternative to President Bush's education plan.
The Democrats, reports CBS News Correspondent Bob Fuss, say they agree with Mr. Bush on probably 80 percent of the education agenda - increasing funding, making schools accountable, focusing on reading. But their proposal would direct funds more towards poor schools and leave out private school vouchers.
Mr. Bush is making education his first major policy initiative. His plan mirrors his campaign platform - a $47.6 billion plan to shape up failing schools, increase the student-testing regimen, hand districts more control over federal dollars and make sure all children can read by age 9.
He also proposed to give $1,500 vouchers to the parents of students in public schools that are deemed failures for three years in a row. That money would help parents pay to send their children to private schools, including religious schools.
Democrats and some moderate Republicans in Congress rushed this week to formally reject federally funded vouchers. Roughly 20,000 children nationwide already are using state-funded vouchers for nonpublic schools.