With 2000 Looming, Chances of Meeting National Goals Iffy

By David J. Hoff

Almost 10 years ago, President George Bush and the state governors set goals aimed at preparing all the nation's children to improve their achievement in core subjects and outpace the world in at least math and science by 2000.

With one year remaining, the prospects of reaching those goals--and most of the other four set soon after the chief executives' 1989 summit in Charlottesville, Va., and two others added in 1994 appear practically nil.

Student scores have risen in mathematics but stayed about the same in reading, according to the panel charged with tracking progress toward the goals. And the results from international assessments given in 1996 suggest the United States is far from dominating the world...