Word: modestic
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...half a billion figure reflects a White House decision that surprised even Wade Horn, the federal overseer of Head Start. His office was expecting a modest increase, perhaps a tenth as much. "There are two reasons for that number," concedes a Bush adviser, "and both are purely political. First, $500 million rolls off the tongue nicely. It's round and big. Second, a figure that size helps silence those who scoff at the boss as the 'education President.' Think of it as a pre-emptive strike that deflects attention from an overall education budget that won't even keep...
Outside the White House gates, however, many considered the President's plan less than earthshaking. Some educational hawks complained that Bush, eager to maintain warm relations with the politically powerful education lobby, had fixed on aims far too modest to have much effect on the crisis in the classroom. No one, of course, could argue against raising graduation rates -- especially in inner cities with large black and Hispanic populations. But overall, 84% of young Americans already earn a high school diploma or its equivalent by age 24. How ambitious is it, then, to set a goal...
...reduction of the deficit would have a number of subtle but important effects. Roger E. Brinner, chief economist of the forecasting firm DRI/McGraw- Hill, projects that the lower interest rates that would result from a smaller deficit could produce a modest budget surplus by the end of the century, when coupled with reduced defense spending. Economists believe that lower interest rates would encourage productive domestic investment, make U.S. businesses more competitive and thus help reduce the trade deficit. Using only half that dreamed-of $150 billion peace dividend in the year 2000 for deficit reduction would still boost the economy...
Anderson acknowledges that a primary reason for the overall modest gains in the Bush education budget stem from the strong desire--shared by the administration, members of Congress and the public--to cut the budget deficit. "These are very lean and mean financial times," he said...
Bush's budget makes only modest increases in educational research and does little to stop the decline in the number of teachers, says Graham. If this trend is unchecked, Graham adds, there will be a massive teacher shortage by the year...