Senate passes education act; next stop, Bush's desk

In a triumph for President Bush, Congress cleared the No Child Left Behind Act Tuesday, requiring annual math and reading tests for millions of students as part of an ambitious effort to boost classroom performance nation-wide.

In addition, it authorizes $26.5 billion in federal spending on elementary and secondary education in the 2002 budget year -- about $8 billion more than in 2001.

"Any time there is an increase in funding, particularly in the area of enhancing reading, it is good," Cape Girardeau superintendent Dan Steska said. " I think this definitely has the potential to help us locally."

The 87-10 Senate vote came less than a week after the House bestowed its blessing on the measure, 381-41. Bush, who placed education legislation atop his first-year list of priorities, is expected to sign the bill into law within days.

"This legislation before us today is a blueprint for progress in all of the nation's schools," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., one of four key lawmakers who shaped the measure. "It proclaims that every child matters -- every child in every school in every community in America."

Annual tests

Pupils in the third through eighth grades would be tested in reading and math annually, and the results used to judge the performance of their schools.

"If kids can't read, there's not a whole lot they can do," said Amy Surmon, a third-grade teacher at Cape's Franklin Elementary School. "Right now we put too much on our children. We need to focus more on reading than science and math, and that's what this looks like it will do -- put more backing on making reading a priority."

Surmon said she is wary of federal mandates on education because they typically add more work for teachers and students, but if this act implements the time and money to do more with learning and literacy she supports it.

The act also provides aid to failing schools. Those schools would receive increased funds, although if scores did not improve after six years they could be restaffed.

Funds for tutoring

For the first time, students in failing schools would be able to use federal funds to pay for independent tutoring or transportation to another public school -- but not to pay tuition at private schools.

Vermont independent James Jeffords joined six Democrats and three Republicans in voting against the bill.

Steska and Jackson School District superintendent Ron Anderson agree that any extra money helps their districts, but they are not aware how the money would be distributed throughout the nation.

Staff writer Heather Kronmueller contributed to this report.