"America is in the midst of an education recession," Bush said, using a phrase designed to generate new interest in his education package.

His campaign began distributing a 16-page pamphlet called "Ending the Education Recession." And the Republican National Committee planned to begin running ads on the subject in 17 battleground states.

Bush opened a three-day West Coast swing with appearances in Oregon and Washington. Recent polls show close contests in both states.

Speaking in the gymnasium of the Bethany Elementary school in this Portland suburb, Bush sought to blame the Clinton-Gore administration for declining reading and math performance of American students.

As vice president, Al Gore has "defended the status quo and has reisted real reform," Bush said.

Bush said that while the economy is fundamentally sound, reading, math and science scores of American students first declined and since have stagnated.

"This is a leading indicator of trouble to come," he said.

Although education is an issue traditionally associated with Democrats, Bush has given it significant attention in his campaign speeches and has scored well on it in public opinion polls.

With the race tightening, GOP strategists hoped that by pounding away on educational themes, Bush could pick up the support of some undecided Democrats and swing voters, particularly women.

He was expected to stick with the education message through the week.

A new CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll showed that almost all of Bush's gains in the last week have come among women.

Gore was up 53-36 in the poll taken Sept. 14-16 among women and is now up only 48-44. Bush is up 49-44 among men now, and was up by 3 points Sept. 14-16, according to Gallup poll executive editor Frank Newport.

Bush has proposed a $47.6 billion, 10-year plan that would boost spending on literacy programs, college scholarships and give extra money to states that improve pupil achievement.

He also would require states to set up their own standards for testing each year from grades three through eight.

He also wants vouchers that poor families could use for private-school tuition if their public schools fail to improve -- a proposal Gore opposes. Bush would also reorganize the Head Start program, giving it a new emphasis on early reading.

Gore has proposed a $115 billion, 10-year package. While Bush would test students, Gore's plan would test teachers.

The vice president's plan "is more comprehensive," said Gore spokeswoman Kym Spell.

Sandy Kress, a Bush education adviser, conceded that the federal government has only a limited role in education, a function primarily left to state and local governments.

"The solution in terms of dollars is not going to come from either candidate," he said.

However, Kress said that the Bush plan would give the federal government considerable leverage over school districts and could lead to real improvements in performance.

Bush said that 68 percent of fourth graders in the highest-poverty schools are unable to read a simple children's book. On math and science tests, American students trail those in most other industrialized nations, he said.

The Texas governor said he had made improvements in his own state.

His campaign cited figures showing that the percentage of third graders passing the Texas state skills test in reading increased by 13 percent in two years. For low-income third graders, the passing rate improved by nearly 20 percent. The percentage of students passing the Texas math test has increased from under 60 percent in 1994 to almost 90 percent in 2000.

Bush's trip includes an appearance Tuesday night on CNN's "Larry King Live." He began his day Monday on CBS' "The Early Show," where he attacked President Clinton's decision to release oil from the nation's strategic oil reserve in an effort to keep fuel prices down.

"The idea of taking reserves out of the strategic reserve is a bad idea because it could create a long-term security issue for the United States of America," Bush said. "And it's an idea that I think is spurred by short-term political gains."

Gore, speaking on NBC, rejected such criticism, saying, "I will not go along with the apologists for big oil and support an agenda that's all big oil, for big oil and by big oil."