The Illinois Democrat criticized
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards for not fully funding
No Child Left Behind. While outlining his own education proposal to prepare
students for college and to train teachers to lead in classrooms, Obama said the
two rivals haven't done enough to protect students. "It's pretty popular to bash
No Child Left Behind out on the campaign trail, but when it was being debated in
Congress four years ago, my colleague Dick Durbin offered a chance to vote so
that the law couldn't be enforced unless it was fully funded," Obama said. "A
lot of senators, including Senator Edwards and Senator Clinton, passed on that
chance. And I believe that was a serious mistake." Obama's plan would encourage
universal pre-kindergarten programs — but not require them — expand teacher
mentoring programs and reward teachers with increased pay not tied to
standardized test scores. Failing teachers would be moved from classrooms and
replaced with ones who are competent, Obama said. "In this election, at this
defining moment, we can decide that this century will be another American
century by making a historic commitment to education. We can make a commitment
that's more than just the rhetoric of a campaign, one that's more than another
empty promise made by a politician looking for your vote," the Illinois senator
said. Obama's plan would cost $18 billion. His campaign said he would pay for it
by delaying NASA's Constellation Program, which is developing the vehicle and
rockets to go to the moon and later to Mars, by reducing costs by buying in
bulk, by auctioning surplus federal property and by cutting down erroneous
payments identified by the Government Accountability Office. Education Week,
11/20/07.
http://www.edweek.org