Now that the tortuous, electoral process has concluded and George W. Bush has been officially inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America, its time for him to get down to serious business of running the country. He has indicated that his top agenda item will be education.

His proposal represents one of the most sweeping reforms in the history of America Public Education.

Having had the opportunity to be interviewed by the Bush-Cheney Transition team, and a sit-down with the president, I am confident that the merits of reform proposal are worthy of the priority he has given it by offering it first on the congressional agenda.

Bush’s Principles of Reform

The Clinton-Gore Administration has failed to narrow the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers. President Bush is committed to closing this gap nationally, as he has done in Texas.

President Bush believes that schools must have clear, measurable goals focused on basic skills and essential knowledge. There must be regular testing to ensure that the goals are being met. Tests should be developed by the states themselves.

Failing schools will be given a finite period to change. If they fail to do so, children of low-income parents will have the option of transferring to share of federal funds to pay for another option — (tutoring, charter school, etc.)

Accountability must be accompanied by local control. If schools are to be held to high standards, they must have the freedom to meet those standards.

President Bush believes that the only power of informed parental choice can change the status quo.

Nearly 70 percent of 4th graders in our poorest schools cannot read. President Bush believes reading is the gateway to learning and will ensure that every disadvantaged child can read by 3rd grade.

Juvenile gun laws will be enforced, children trapped in unsafe school will have the option of transferring to a safe school.

Education Reform Objectives

1. Close the Achievement Gap between Disadvantaged Students and their Peers:
Empower low-income parents of students stuck in persistently failing schools with the option of transferring to another public school, or using their share of federal funding to pay for another option of their choice (including tutoring, a charter school, or non-public school.)

Fully fund the Pell grant program for first-year students by increasing the maximum grant amount by more than 50 percent, to $5,100.

Increase federal funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities Hispanic Serving Institutions.

2. Strengthen Early Learning:
Establish the "Reading First" program by investing $5 billion over five years to ensure that every disadvantaged child can read by third grade.

Reform Head Start by making school readiness, pre-reading and numeracy- its top priority.

3. Raise Standards through Local Control, Accountability, and Choice:
Restore local control by combining more than 60 Federal programs into five, flexible categories; Have states establish accountability systems, testing every student in reading and math.

4. Give Parents More Options from Kindergarten to College:
Publish school-by-school reports cards on the internet to arm parents with information.

Double the number of charter schools through a "Charter School Homestead Fund" to provide $3 billion of loan guarantees for start-up and construction costs.

5. Improve Teacher Quality and Increase Resources:
Consolidate and increase funds for teacher training and recruiting- a $2.4 billion funds for states to enact teacher accountability systems.

Expand loan forgiveness from $5,000 to $17,500 for math and science majors who teach in high-need school for five years.

Increase funding for the Troops-to Teachers program to $30 million to recruit former military personnel to America’s classrooms; and establish a tax deduction for teachers to deduct up to $400 dollars in out-of-pocket classrooms expenses.

6. Restore School Safety and Promote Character Development:
Require states to measure and improve school safety; provide students in persistently dangerous schools with a transfer to a safe school.

Establish "Project Sentry" to prosecute juveniles who carry or use guns and the adults who provide them.

Improve discipline by requiring schools to enact a zero-tolerance policy on classroom disruption; enacting a Teacher Protection Act to shield teachers from meritless lawsuits.

Triple federal character education funding, and expand the role of faith-based and community organizations in after-school program.