Dollars, Details Stall Education Bill In Senate

By Erik W. Robelen

Washington

Money was considered a key—but not the only—stumbling block last week as the White House and Senate Democrats failed to reach a general agreement on how to overhaul the federal role in schools.

Despite the differences, which prompted Democrats to force a delay of floor action originally scheduled for early last week, the Senate was expected this week to begin debate over legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

At press time last Friday, the two sides remained billions of dollars apart on how much would be available for programs authorized under the main federal law for K-12 education, which this year will send out about...