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AL GORE:
His words:
“Education may be a local responsibility. But I believe it also has to be our No. 1 national priority. We can't stop until every school in America is a good place to get a good education.
“It's not just about more money. It's about higher standards, accountability — new ideas. But we can't do it without new resources. And that's why I will invest far more in our schools — in the long run, a second-class education always costs more than a first-class education.”
Proposals:
• Accountability: Schools that don't meet standards would be shut down and reopened with new leadership and staff. States that fail to improve student achievement would be required to put federal money into a fund to help low-performing schools. States need to publish annual school report cards.
• School choice/vouchers: Against vouchers. Would triple the number of charter schools by 2005 by putting more money into the federal charter school program.
• Teacher quality: Would spend $8 billion over 10 years to recruit new teachers. Would spend another $8 million to increase salaries by $5,000 for teachers in high-need districts and by $10,000 for teachers with national certification. Would require teacher testing.
• Early-childhood education: Would spend $50 billion over 10 years to create universal preschool for all 4-year-olds. Would spend $8 billion over 10 years to improve child care. Would offer tax breaks of $30 billion over 10 years to make child care more affordable.
• Reading: Continued support for the $260 million Reading Excellence Act, which gives states grants for literacy programs for students up to the third grade.
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GEORGE W. BUSH:
His words:
“Equality in our country will remain a distant dream until every child, of every background, has a chance to learn and strive and rise in the world. No child in America should be segregated by low expectations — imprisoned by illiteracy — abandoned to frustration and the darkness of self-doubt.
“A great movement of education reform has begun in this country. The principles behind it are the same from New York to Texas, from Florida to Arizona. Raise the bar of standards. Give schools the flexibility to meet them. Measure progress. Insist on results. Blow the whistle on failure. Provide parents with options to increase their influence. And don't leave any child behind.”
Proposals:
• Accountability: Schools that receive Title I money would be required to test students in grades 3-8 in math and reading. Wants annual school report cards that break down student performance by race and income. States with five years of stagnant student performance would be required to set up a fund for charter schools. Schools and states that make the most improvements would get financial bonuses.
• School choice/vouchers: Would give vouchers to students in Title I schools that don't show improvement within three years. These failing schools would have to give part of their federal aid to students to help them attend another school. Would double the number of charter schools by 2003 by creating a $3 billion start-up fund.
• Teacher quality: Would combine $400 million in additional money with existing funds for professional development, class size reduction and the Goals 2000 program into a new fund for teacher training and recruitment. Would start at teacher tax deduction to reduce out-of-pocket classroom expenses.
• Early-childhood education: Reform Head Start by making school readiness prereading and math skills its top priorities. Head Start would fall under the Department of Education. Head Start programs would compete for grants and would be required to adopt a core curriculum.
• Reading: Would start a $5 billion, five-year third-grade reading guarantee that would emphasize disadvantaged children. States would use phonics-based instruction, train K-2 teachers in reading preparation and test students in grades 3-8 in reading.
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What the candidates propose
