1.   It will prevent the taking of prompt action to improve failing schools.

2.   And failing schools.

3.   And in Michigan, a more narrowly drawn proposition that would have granted vouchers to students in failing schools also went down to defeat.

4.   Ashcroft planned to introduce a bill Thursday using federal money to help failing schools emphasize basic classroom courses and attract high-quality teachers.

5.   At failing schools, state inspectors found that teachers spent much of their time controlling the behavior of their students.

6.   A very tentative compromise in the Senate over the voucher plan would allow students in chronically failing schools to receive federal funds for private tutoring.

7.   Bush believes parents in failing schools that show no signs of improvement should be allowed to spend federal funds on other public schools, tutoring or private school tuition.

8.   Bush wants federal aide to failing schools to be rerouted directly to parents, who could spend it at the public or private school of their choice.

9.   Bush pledged to stick to his proposals to test students and allow them to transfer out of failing schools.

10.   But it also calls for requiring teachers to pass periodic reviews making it easier to close down failing schools.