2000 Presidential Candidates: Profiles and Education Policies—Page 2

Education

2000 Presidential Candidates: Profiles and Education Policies—Page 2

January 19, 2000 4 min read

Save to favorites
Print

Email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Copy URL

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3

R E P U B L I C A N
Governor of Texas	Magazine Publisher	U.S. Senator
“The federal government must be humble enough to stay out of the day-to-day operation of local schools, wise enough to give states and school districts more authority and freedom, and strong enough to require proven performance in return.” — From a Sept. 2, 1999, speech before the Latin Business Association in Los Angeles.	“If elected president, I will immediately block-grant funds from the Department of Education and send them back to states and local communities with this directive: Let parents choose schools that work—schools that are safe, clean, drug-free, disciplined, academically challenging, and that reinforce rather than undermine the moral and spiritual values that are being instilled at home.” — From a Sept. 9, 1999, speech to the National Baptist Convention in Tampa, Fla.	“The federal government spends 7 percent of the money for education in this country and demands 50 percent of the paperwork.” — From remarks during a Dec. 6, 1999, Republican presidential forum in Phoenix, Ariz.
Age: 53 Education: Yale University, B.A., 1968; Harvard University, M.B.A., 1975. Career: Worked in oil and gas industry, 1975-86; managing general partner of the Texas Rangers baseball team, 1989-94; governor of Texas, 1995-present, elected to second term in 1998. Education Advisers: Former Milwaukee Superintendent Howard L. Fuller; Lynne V. Cheney, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; Nina Shokraii Rees, a senior analyst at the Heritage Foundation; and Eric A. Hanushek, an economist at the University of Rochester, among others.	Age: 52 Education: B.A., Princeton University, 1970. Career: Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting, the agency that oversees Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, 1985-93; president and CEO of Forbes Inc. and editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine, 1990-present; presidential candidate, 1996. Education Advisers: J. Kenneth Blackwell, secretary of state for Ohio and former inner-city high school teacher; Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr. and professor at the University of Atlanta; Bret Schundler, mayor of Jersey City, N.J.	Age: 65 Education: B.A., Brigham Young University, 1959; J.D., University of Pittsburgh Law School, 1962. Career: Lawyer, 1963-76; U.S. senator from Utah, 1976-present; chairman of the Judiciary Committee, 1995-present. Education Advisers: None.
EDUCATION RECORD
As governor, has made education a priority and worked with legislators to boost spending significantly, although critics wanted more funding hikes. Spearheaded 1996 literacy initiative, at a cost of $82 million over four years, designed to ensure that all Texas students are reading by the 3rd grade. Signed 1999 legislation raising teacher salaries by $3,000. Backed law to end social promotions of academically unprepared students. Students’ scores on state tests have risen during his tenure, and the achievement gap has narrowed for poor and minority students.	No background in education or politics, except for unsuccessful presidential run in 1996. From 1993 to 1996, he was chairman of the board of directors of Empower America, a conservative advocacy group founded by former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp and former U.S. Secretary of Education William J. Bennett.	Chaired Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, which oversees education issues, 1981-86; ranking Republican 1987-92. Has supported increased funding for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Backed education - savings - account legislation. Supported the Ed-Flex program. As current chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sponsored plan to reauthorize juvenile-justice legislation. Supported the 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
EDUCATION PLATFORM
Proposes holding schools more accountable for their federal funding and judging their performance based on annual state-developed exams. After three years, schools that did not improve could see their share of federal aid from the $8 billion Title I program for disadvantaged students funneled to families to spend on public or private school costs or tutoring. He would require states to test all students from the 3rd grade to the 8th grade in reading and mathematics as a condition for receiving federal aid. Proposes to consolidate most K-12 education funding into five flexible categories. Has called for shifting administration of the Head Start early-childhood program to the Department of Education from the Department of Health and Human Services. Proposes to triple funding for character education programs from $8 million to $25 million. Supports voluntary prayer in public schools.	Proposes to block-grant federal education funds to states. Strong proponent of school vouchers, tuition tax credits, charter schools, and education savings accounts. Supports voluntary prayer in public schools.	Supports publicly funded vouchers for students to attend private schools. Wants to improve access to quality child-care programs. Supports voluntary prayer in public schools.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Bush for President PO Box 1902 Austin, TX 78767-1902 (512) 637-2000 www.georgewbush.com	Forbes 2000 Inc. 209 Madison St. Alexandria, VA 22314 (800) 706-0004 www.forbes2000.com	Hatch for President PO Box 3636 Salt Lake City, UT 84101-3636 (801) 994-2000 www.orrinhatch.org

See More Events

Create Your Own Job Search

module image 9