Incoming Democrats have pledged to make several key changes to education funding, while at the same time trying fulfill a pledge to offset new spending with cuts elsewhere or new taxes to avoid increasing the deficit. Some of the areas that Dems see in need of boosts are Pell Grants for low-income college students, increasing federal direct student loans and properly funding the mandates of the No Child Left Behind act.

Are the pledges possible to fulfill?

"Politically it's very difficult," said Michael Rebell, an expert in the law at Columbia University's Teachers College. "Nobody wants to be the one to say that I'm going to leave any children behind."

The article "Democrats outline education agenda priorities" appeared on 12/13/2006 on CNN.COM.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/12/12/democrats.education.ap

Published Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006