Bush Seeks to Shift Debate Back to Education as Gore Strikes on Health Care

In a sharp attack, Gov. George W. Bush sharply criticized Vice President Al Gore on education policy, asserting that the Clinton administration had "complacently presided over a national tragedy" in the public schools. However, the move to shift the debate back to education came as Mr. Bush found himself responding to criticisms from the Gore campaign that he lacked a detailed plan for creating a prescription drug benefit for the elderly. In a news conference, Mr. Bush announced that he would unveil a proposal to have the federal government subsidize prescription drug purchases by the low-income elderly, a move that seemed to acknowledge the impact of Mr. Gore's recent attack.

Key Takeaways:

• Gov. George W. Bush attacked Vice President Al Gore on education policy, asserting that the Clinton administration had "complacently presided over a national tragedy" in the public schools.
• Bush's education plan focuses on funneling federal money to parents of students in failing public schools, encouraging charter schools, and rewarding districts for reporting school performance.
• The Bush campaign also attacked Gore's education proposals, asserting they would provide only "the illusion" of school accountability.
• Mr. Bush plans to unveil a new proposal to subsidize prescription drug purchases by the low-income elderly.
• The Bush campaign criticized the Clinton administration's record on education, saying seven and a half years of "neglect" had led to a widening of the performance gap between the haves and have-nots.
• Mr. Gore's plan focuses heavily on increasing federal education spending, modernizing schools, reducing class sizes, and increasing teacher pay.
• Both campaigns believe the other's plan is flawed and that their own plan is the better solution.

Statistics:

• $115 billion: The amount by which Mr. Gore proposes to increase federal education spending over 10 years.
• 12 years: The age by which children in grades K-8 will undergo annual reading tests, as proposed by Mr. Bush.
• 3 through 8: The grade levels that will undergo annual reading tests as proposed by Mr. Bush.
• 7.5 years: The length of time the Clinton administration has held office, during which time the performance gap between the haves and have-nots has reportedly grown.

Sources:

• "Bush Seeks to Shift Debate Back to Education as Gore Strikes on Health Care" by The New York Times
• "Bush Criticizes Gore on Education Policy" by The New York Times
• "Gore Proposes Increasing Education Spending" by The New York Times