In Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Bush proposed adding a science component to the five-year-old education law that currently focuses on mathematics and reading proficiency. The 2002 education law, known as the No Child Left Behind Act, requires educators to ensure that every student read and do math at grade level or above by 2014.

The science measure is one of several enhancements that the president said he wants rolled into the reauthorization of the law. Bush said such improvements could link education to the competitiveness agenda he proposed during last year's State of the Union speech.

"Because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap," Bush said. "Now the task is to build on the success. ... We can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future and our country is more competitive by strengthening math and science skills..."

"Most of President Bush's State of the Union education proposals are old and come off the shelf," said Michael Dannenberg, director of the New America Foundation's education policy program.

He said "the freshest idea in the Bush education agenda" rests on improving high schools. Bush called for making advanced-placement classes available to more low-income students and distributing grant aid to low-income college students who take challenging course loads while in high school. Dannenberg noted, however, that congressional Democrats'priority is college affordability and access. "There's no reason these two agenda items -- improving high schools and college affordability and access -- can't come together and become law, he said.

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