Bush signs education bill in front of Ohio students

HAMILTON, Ohio -- President Bush sat at a school desk Tuesday and signed the most far-reaching federal education bill in nearly four decades, a $26 billion plan to broaden academic testing, triple spending for literacy programs and help children escape America's worst public schools.

"We've spent billions of dollars with lousy results," the president said. "Now it's time to spend billions of dollars and get good results."

With his signature, Bush fulfilled a campaign promise to increase federal education spending and offer the money as incentive to make states and educators accountable for failures in teaching the nation's 48 million public school students.

"We do not want children trapped in schools that will not change and will not teach," Bush told several hundred foot-stomping students, teachers and parents in a packed high school gym.

Bush signed the foot-thick bill behind a worn, wooden school desk and a sign that read, "No child left behind." The shrieks and squeals of students were an ear-rattling reminder of Bush's high approval ratings since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The most immediate changes will appear next school year when children in some 3,000 poorly performing schools will be eligible for taxpayer-financed tutoring or other educational services.

Children in an additional 6,700 failing schools will be eligible for transfers to more successful public schools, and federal money could pay for their transportation.

A new regime of student tests in math, reading and science will begin to take effect in the fall of 2005, identifying more failing schools that could lose federal money as students take advantage of the new options.

To students who don't like taking tests, Bush said, "Too bad, because we need to know" whether the schools are working.