Governors on Board—With Caveats

By Lynn Olson

Washington

The nation's governors are lining up behind President Bush's testing and accountability plans, but not without some caveats.

"There's a fair amount of support, I think, for the president's proposals," said Ray Sheppach, the executive director of the National Governors' Association.

At their annual winter meeting here last month, the governors amended their existing policy on elementary and secondary education to note: "Governors support the annual assessment of students in reading and math in grades 3 through 8," as Mr. Bush proposes. But, they added, the requirement could be satisfied through a "combination of...