Company headed by President Bush's brother benefits from federal dollars under NCLB

A company headed by President Bush's brother and partly owned by his parents is benefiting from Republican connections and federal dollars targeted for economically disadvantaged students under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). With investments from his parents, George H.W. and Barbara Bush, and other backers, Neil Bush's company, Ignite! Learning, has placed its products in 40 U.S. school districts and now plans to market internationally. At least 13 U.S. school districts have used NCLB funds to buy Ignite's portable learning centers, at $3,800 apiece. According to U.S. Department of Education (ED) spokesman Chad Colby, ED does not monitor individual school district expenditures under the NCLB program, but sets guidelines the states are expected to enforce. Ignite executive Tom Deliganis says that "some districts seem to feel OK" about using NCLB money for the Ignite purchases, "and others do not." Neil Bush insists political influence has not played a role in Ignite's rapid growth. "As our business matures in the USA we have plans to expand overseas and to work with many distinguished individuals in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa," he says. "Not one of these associates by the way has ever asked for any access to either of my political brothers, not one White House tour, not one autographed photo, and not one Lincoln bedroom overnight stay."

Interviews and a review of school district documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act found that educators and legal experts were sharply divided over whether Ignite's products were worth their cost or qualified under NCLB. Leigh Manasevit, an attorney who specializes in federal education funding, says that school districts using NCLB funds to buy products like Ignite's would have to meet "very strict" student eligibility requirements and ensure that the Ignite services were supplemental to existing programs. Few independent studies have been done to assess the effectiveness of Ignite's teaching strategies. Neil Bush says the company has gotten "great feedback" from educators and plans to conduct a "major scientifically valid study" to assess the product's impact. He expects the results of the study by next summer. Though Ignite's products get generally rave reviews from Texas educators, the opinion is not universal. The Tornillo, Texas, Independent School District no longer uses the Ignite programs it purchased several years ago for $43,000. "I wouldn't advise anyone else to use it," says Superintendent Paul Vranish. "Nobody wanted to use it, and the principal who bought it is no longer here."