Obama Announces Education Program

U.S. President Barack Obama says he is bringing Congress an ambitious overhaul of the country's education system.

In his weekly internet and radio address Saturday, Mr. Obama says his plan will help ensure all students graduate high school ready for "college and a career."

The plan will be a major overhaul to the education plan of his predecessor, George W. Bush. Mr. Bush's program, called No Child Left Behind, has been controversial because it relies heavily on standardized testing and penalizes schools that do not meet national standards.

Mr. Obama says his plan will decentralize education reform. He said the federal government will set a "high bar," but that local schools and districts will have "flexibility" in how they reach it.

He says he will present his plan to Congress on Monday.