Bush Pushes Education, Tax Cut Plans

Feb. 20 -- President Bush is mounting a two-day, three-state swing to promote his top two legislative priorities: education reform and tax cuts.

As the controversies of his predecessor, former President Clinton, continue to dominate headlines, Bush heads to Ohio, Missouri and Tennessee in an effort to build public support for his domestic agenda. The campaign-style trip comes as the administration is preparing to send its first federal budget outline to Capitol Hill next week.

Bush Calls for Testing, Defends 'Vouchers'

"The heart of education reform is accountability," Bush told teachers and parents at Sullivant Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio, this morning. "A system that refuses to be held accountable is a system that shuffles children through."

The cornerstone of Bush's education plan, dubbed "No Child Left Behind," is a controversial measure that would divert government money from failing public schools to private schools. The 28-page proposal Bush submitted to Congress last month calls for new state-developed reading and math tests to be administered on an annual basis to students in grades 3-8.

"Good education starts with high standards and the unfailing belief that every child can learn, regardless of their background or their circumstances," Bush said.

Under the president's plan, if an underachieving public school fails to make improvements over a two-year period, federal aid dollars — roughly $1,500 per child — would be diverted from the school and given to parents to spend on tuition for an alternative school of their choosing, including a private institution. The money would come directly from the public school's Title I funding — aid now given to schools in low-income districts.

Bush defended his approach from criticism by his Democratic opponents, who refer to the diversion of federal funding as "vouchers," and say it would lead to a downward spiral in the nation's public school system.

"I do believe it makes sense and is right to ask the question, 'If you receive federal money, what are the results for the money spent?'" he said. "I know that some say testing is punishment. No — testing is a diagnostic tool necessary to correct problems early, before it's too late."