Hamilton, Ohio — President Bush sat at a school desk Tuesday and signed the most far-reaching federal education bill in nearly four decades, a $26 billion plan to broaden academic testing, triple spending for literacy programs and help children escape America's worst public schools.
"We've spent billions of dollars with lousy results," the president said. "Now it's time to spend billions of dollars and get good results."
With his signature, Bush fulfilled a campaign promise to increase federal education spending and offer the money as incentive to make states and educators accountable for failures in teaching the nation's 48 million public school students.
"We do not want children trapped in schools that will not change and will not teach," Bush told several hundred foot-stomping students, teachers and parents in a packed high school gym.
Though some of his initial ideas did not survive in Congress, Bush claimed success on his top domestic priority. He meets today with educators and will urge them to implement the changes. He may propose an education tax credit later in the year, aides said.
Congress last year approved letting families save up to $2,000 per child each year in special tax-free accounts for private or parochial school.
Opponents say vouchers and other school choice measures that have support among Republicans would drain tax money from struggling public schools.
On Tuesday, Bush signed the foot-thick bill behind a worn, wooden school desk and a sign that read, "No child left behind." The shrieks and squeals of students were an ear-rattling reminder of Bush's high approval ratings since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Drawing from his popularity as commander in chief, Bush pledged to win a war against illiteracy as well as the war in Afghanistan.
The most immediate changes will appear next school year when children in some 3,000 poorly performing schools will be eligible for taxpayer-financed tutoring or other educational services. The money can go to private companies and religious institutions.
Children in an additional 6,700 failing schools will be eligible for transfers to more successful public schools, and federal money could pay for their transportation.
A new regimen of student tests in math, reading and science will begin to take effect in the fall of 2005, identifying more failing schools that could lose federal money as students take advantage of the new options.
To students who don't like taking tests, Bush said, "Too bad, because we need to know" whether the schools are working.
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