Gore, Bush Outline Education Plans During First of Three Debates

Although Bush's and Gore's education policies were not at the center of Tuesday's presidential debate, both the Texas governor and the vice president outlined some key points in their differing education plans for America.

Bush challenged Gore saying the vice president's plan does not require testing of students every year by the states and that Gore would not free local schools from bureaucratic regulations from Washington. In turn, Gore admonished Bush for supporting school vouchers, saying that at a time when the education system faces a "funding crisis," it's wrong for private schools "to take taxpayer money away from public schools."

"We've got to consolidate federal programs to free districts, to free the schools, to encourage innovators … to let schools reach out beyond the confines of the current structure to recruit teach-for-the-children-type teachers," Bush said in support of vouchers.

Gore outlined a key point of his education plan. "I'm in favor of testing as a way of measuring performance - every school, every school district, have every state test the children," he said. "I've also proposed a voluntary national test from the fourth grade and eighth grade, and a form of testing that the governor has not endorsed."

When asked about the key differences in his and Gore's plans by debate moderator Jim Lehrer, Bush said the vice president's plan lacked accountability. "He (Gore) says he's for voluntary testing.," Bush said. "You can't have voluntary testing. You must have mandatory testing. You must say that if you receive money, you must show us whether or not children are learning to read and write and add and subtract. That's the difference. You may claim you've got mandatory testing, but you don't, Mr. Vice President. And that is a huge difference."

Gore disagreed with Bush's assessment. "I do have mandatory testing," he said. "I think the governor may not have heard what I said clearly. The voluntary national test is in addition to the mandatory testing that we require of states - all schools, all school districts, students themselves, and required teacher testing, which goes a step farther than Governor Bush has been willing to go."

But perhaps the main difference between the two candidates is over the school voucher issue.

"Ninety percent of our kids go to public schools," Gore said. "We have to make it the number one priority: modernize our schools, reduce the class size, recruit new teachers, give every child a chance to learn with one-on-one time in a quality - high-quality, safe school."

But Bush said one of the things that politicians must be careful about is "throwing money at a system that has not yet been reformed."

"More money is needed, and I spend more money," Bush said. "But step one is to make sure we reform the system, to have the system in place that leaves no child behind…."

Gore said he supports testing all new teachers in the subjects that they teach and class size reduction. Bush said he supports a federally funded "bonus" plan for public schools that achieve and is in favor of changing the federally funded Head Start into a reading program. Both candidates said they support new accountability and local control as well as testing as a way of measuring student performance.

For a brief outline of both candidates' views on education, visit MSNBC. A complete overview of the candidates' education plans can be found at www.georgewbush.com and at www.gore2000.org. Read the full text of the debates via the New York Times Web site

	Related Links For a brief outline of both candidates' views on education, visit MSNBC. A complete overview of the candidates' education plans can be found at www.georgew bush.com and at www.gore2000.org. Read the full text of the debates via the New York Times Web site

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