While political pundits ponder the political impact of the Lewinsky matter, the issue on the minds of many voters appears to be their schools.

It's the "universal issue" says David Broder of The Washington Post, and in this year's close races, polls are showing that it might be the deciding one.

As Congress rushed to pass a budget before going home this Fall, education funding stood out as the sticking point between President Clinton and congressional leaders. Republicans and the Democrats took opposing stands; Democrats favoring federal control of funds and their uses, Republicans supporting local control and school choice.

When the smoke from the budget battle cleared, both sides declared victory. The White House said tough negotiations had ensured $1.2 billion for 100,000 new teachers and $250 million for child literacy programs. Republicans argued they had killed a Clinton proposal for national testing of fourth- and eighth-graders and blocked a White House plan to create tax subsidies for building new schools.

Senate majority leader Trent Lott said that Republicans were proud to give money to schools, but they wanted decisions on how to use it to be made by local officials rather then the federal government. Gene Sperling, director of President Clinton's National Economic Council, said the White House was "overjoyed to hear the conversion of many who now want to support the President's education budget."

Is education the most important political issue to you? Does it get enough attention? What should be the role of the federal government, state government and local governments?

Two education analysts; Chester Finn, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and Jane Hannaway, director of the Education Policy Center at the Urban Institute answer your questions.