Democratic presidential hopeful, Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., talks to students at West High School in Manchester, N.H., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Richardson on Thursday unveiled a $60 billion education plan that he said would provide universal pre-kindergarten programs, scrap No Child Left Behind and make public college free, saying he would pay for the plan by cutting Cold War-era weapons systems, ending subsidies to private banks, and still have money left over. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, FILE)

Bill Richardson Governor, NM Born: 11/15/1947 Birthplace: Pasedena, CA Home: Santa Fe, NM Religion: Catholic >> Website >> Forum >> Related Stories Coming Events

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Presidential hopeful Bill Richardson on Thursday unveiled a $60 billion education plan that he said would provide universal pre-kindergarten programs, scrap No Child Left Behind and make public college free.

Richardson, the Democratic governor of New Mexico, said he would pay for the plan by cutting Cold War-era weapons systems, end subsidies to private banks and still have money left over.

"The vision I have outlined is bold and comprehensive. It is also expensive," Richardson said in remarks prepared for delivery. "Unlike the timid plans of others, mine is a $60 billion investment in our nation's future."

Richardson's plan calls the education system "broken" and offers promises to work with preventive care for children. Central to that promise is his pledge to scrap No Child Left Behind, President Bush's education plan that focused on accountability and standards for students and schools.

"Some say fix it, others say tweak it. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton says reform it," Richardson said. "I also have two words for No Child Left Behind: Scrap it."

Richardson also takes a swipe at President Bush.

"George Bush promised to be the education president. You know how far that promise got? About as far as his promise on Inauguration Day to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution," Richardson said.

Richardson's plan also calls for 100,000 new math and science teachers, support for Head Start and other early childhood programs and adult learning and retraining courses.

"We must begin with educating our young people, but we cannot stop there. Learning should not end at 18. And every American must have a part in the basic promise of our nation, that we can make every tomorrow better than today."

Part of that plan is to offer two years of public college in exchange for one year of service; college students would have access to $3.6 billion of free college.

Graduates could qualify for up to $24,000 — enough to pay tuition for four years at an average public school. In Richardson's education plan, recent graduates could join the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or Teach for America to earn back their college tuition. Also, new graduates could become firefighters, police officers or teachers in underserved areas to participate.

Also at the college level, Richardson said he would scrap the existing student-aid forms.

"The form that families have to fill out to get college aid, the FAFSA, is 127 questions. That's longer than the form to get U.S. citizenship," Richardson said. "Something's wrong when it's more complicated to get money for school than it is to become an American citizen."

Richardson has used town hall-style meeting in early states to talk about his education plan. He has pledged a starting salary for public teachers of $40,000 and to appoint an educator as his secretary of education. He routinely touts his accomplishments as governor and his firsthand account of how federal education policy, he says, is hindering teaching.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.