Obama Readies 'No Child' Overhaul

President Obama today promised to rewrite the sweeping and controversial No Child Left Behind law with a plan to prepare students for life after high school and to place better teachers at the blackboards. The announcement's timing suggests Obama is looking beyond the health care reform still lingering in Congress—and education is a kitchen-table issue certain to resonate with voters in November.

"For schools that do well but could do better, we will encourage continuous improvement to help keep our young people prepared for the jobs of the 21st century," Obama said in his weekly address. Although Obama was short on specifics, the president has been clear he is eying sweeping change. He has used federal money—including $3.5 billion in last year's stimulus—as leverage to push schools to raise standards and prepare more children for college or work. (More President Obama stories.)