House rejects voucher bill

The House of Representatives rejected two amendments pushing for school vouchers before overwhelmingly approving a sweeping measure to change federal education policy.

The 384-45 vote on the full education package May 23 handed a major victory to President George W. Bush, who campaigned on linking school performance to tax dollars and instituting massive national testing standards.

But lawmakers rejected another key Bush proposal – providing education vouchers to allow students in failing schools to attend private and parochial schools with tax dollars. Bush had dropped his voucher bid in a compromise with Democratic leaders. Lawmakers rejected 273-155 a proposal to give students attending low-performing schools vouchers worth $1,500 to attend private schools for three years. The second voucher proposal would have authorized pilot programs in five schools to determine the effectiveness of school choice in improving academic achievement. It failed 241-186. (ABP)