Bush wants all schools that get Title I funds - about 44,000 schools receive a total of $7.7 billion - to offer annual exams to measure student performance on basic academics. Schools that fail to show annual progress would get warnings from the federal
government. After three strikes, a school would be out and the money given to the states, which would set up education accounts for parents amounting to about $1,500 a year per student. The money could be spent on private school tuition.
Source: Ken Herman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sep 3, 1999
Let’s try vouchers in failing schools.
[P]arents from all walks of life are hungry for a better education for their children. I know there’s a huge debate raging, but we must not trap students in low-performing schools. It is time to see if it works: Let’s try a pilot voucher program.
Source: Time Magazine 4/26/99 p. 36
Apr 26, 1999
Supports trying charter schools and vouchers
Let’s show Texas is not afraid to change and innovate. During the last four years, we have provided new outlets for educational entrepreneurs - charter schools, open-enrollment campuses, public school choice. These bold experiments have shown that parent
from all walks of life are hungry for a better education for their children. I know there’s a huge debate raging, but we must not trap students in low-performing schools. It is time to see if it works: Let’s try a pilot voucher program.
Source: 1999 State of the State Address, Austin TX
Jan 27, 1999
For charter schools; public school choice; vouchers
Gov. Bush supports the following principles regarding school choice:
Favor charter schools
Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
Allow parents to send their children to
public school of their choice.
Bush “supports a pilot program” to provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
Source: Vote Smart NPAT 1998
Jul 2, 1998
Established funding for charter schools
I strongly support public school charters. In Texas today, we have 19 charters up and running-and another 41 charters are scheduled to go on line. We have started. two non-profit foundations to help charter school entrepreneurs. The resource center will
help education entrepreneurs get the assistance they need. And the financial foundation will loan funds to new charter schools to help finance early-stage costs and/or working capital needs.
Source: Natl.Center for Policy Analysis, Dallas, TX
Mar 31, 1998
Click here for 20 main quotations from George W. Bush on School Choice.
Click here for definitions & background information on School Choice.
