BACKGROUND
Paige leads the agency that establishes federal policy and administers federal assistance to education, including financial aid and research. It is the agency's responsibility to assure access to equal educational opportunities and to promote improvement in the quality of education. Education policy and funding in the U.S. is primarily a State and local responsibility with only 10% of the funds devoted to education provided by the federal government. Houston's 1.5% dropout rate was noted during his Congressional confirmation hearings.

PREMISE OF THE SUIT
SPADES are members of President George W. Bush's Administration, either Cabinet members or Advisors. The departments they lead implement the rules and policies established by the Administration as well as by the laws passed by the U.S. Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate. They are in power as appointees of the President who is in office because of the choices made in the 2000 Presidential election by the voters and the U.S. Supreme Court.

LINKS
www.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/paige.html
www.whitehouse.gov/government/cabinet.html