The "Three R's" are not "reading, 'ritin' and 'rithmetic," but instead are "reinvestment, reinvention and responsibility," Lieberman said at a press conference Jan 23 to announce the bill to increase overall federal spending on education by $35 billion over the next five years. 

He was joined by Sens. Feinstein and Kohl in addtion to Birch Bayh of Indiana, John Breaux of Louisiana; Tom Carper of Delaware, Bob Graham of Florida, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas.

The bill sets five goals: 1) closing the achievement gap between poor and more affluent children. 2) improving teacher quality; 3) helping immigrant students master English; 4) promoting public school choice and 5) stimulating local initiatives.

One provision would increase spending for disadvantaged students by 50 percent to $13 billion, focusing most of that money toward the nation's poorest schools. Another provision would boost funding for teacher recruitment, training and development by 100 percent to $2 billion annually. Funding to improve English training for immigrant students would increase by $1 billion. A $200 million fund would be created to "expand competition and opportunties for children within the public school system." --- Donald H. Harrison