Presidential Candidate Would Increase Preschool Access, Number Of Teachers
Democratic presidential hopeful Chris Dodd is planning to tell teachers in Bartlett on Thursday that he will overhaul public education, guarantee universal preschool for children from low- and middle-income families and double the number of certified teachers.

The Connecticut senator's education plan also would pay teachers an extra $25,000 for teaching in high-need schools for five years and lengthen some students' school day by one-third.

Dodd planned to unveil the ideas at the National Education Association of New Hampshire meeting Thursday morning.

Dodd also planned to use the speech to repeat his criticism of No Child Left Behind and President George W. Bush. Unlike some rivals, he talks not about abandoning the initiative but reforming it.

He sad he wants to measure student achievement over time and their improvement, not just bottom-line test scores required now.