Clinton Calls for Emphasis On Teachers

By Joetta L. Sack

The teacher-quality initiative and other education proposals President Clinton unveiled in his State of the Union Address last week sounded popular themes that offer appeal to both Democrats and Republicans.

But significant disagreements over how the federal government would implement the programs could prove to be the major stumbling block in whether the plans become law, some political players and observers said last week.

"These are a lot of things [in the president's speech] I would have said if I'd been giving the State of the Union Address," Rep. Bill Goodling, the Pennsylvania Republican who chairs the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said in an interview. However, Mr. Goodling added, "after he presents his wish-list—the list to make everyone feel good—he has to come up with a budget and show how he can...