GREENSBORO - President Bush mixed election-season politics with talk of his education policies in a hopscotch visit Wednesday across the state's Piedmont.

Bush ended a nine-hour visit to North Carolina, his second trip here in three months, at a $1,000-per-person fundraiser for the Republican National Committee.

It was held in the mansion of Aldona Wos, U.S. ambassador to Estonia, and her husband, businessman Louis DeJoya -- a prominent Greensboro couple who has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for Republicans in recent years. No figures were available on how much the event brought in.

Bush also spent time with Greensboro leaders over a barbecue lunch, toured Waldo Falkener Elementary School in Greensboro and spent time at a camp for ill children in Randolph County run by race car legend Richard Petty and his family.

At the elementary school's cafeteria, the president told about 200 invited guests that Congress should reauthorize and strengthen his No Child Left Behind school-reform program. It was the only public event of the day.

Bush acknowledged criticism that the program is too heavy on testing. But he said that setting high standards and then finding out whether students are reaching them is essential. He linked educational progress to the United States' standing in the world, saying it is important as American students compete for jobs in a global economy.

"I understand the debate: They're teaching to the test," Bush said. "No, you're teaching a child to read so they can pass a comprehensive test. And if they can't pass a comprehensive test, something is fundamentally wrong."

State schools Superintendent June Atkinson, a Democrat, said she attended to support the school's students, teachers and staff. She said the No Child Left Behind program needs fixing in several areas, including an "all or nothing" approach it takes to penalizing schools based on missing even one of dozens of performance measures.

"We don't need 'all or nothing,' " she said.

Bush did not spend time with Republican Vernon Robinson, the challenger to U.S. Rep. Brad Miller in the 13th Congressional District, which includes parts of Greensboro, or with U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, a Republican facing what polls indicate is a close race in the mountains against Democrat Heath Shuler.

But at the Petty family camp, called Victory Junction Gang Camp, the president spent time with U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, a Republican locked in what is thought to be a close race against Democrat Larry Kissell.

Bush was joined Wednesday by U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, both Republicans from the Triad region.

Burr said his conversations with the president were about Iraq, education and the November elections, in which control of the U.S. House is up for grabs.

"Both of us are political junkies," Burr said, "and we enjoy the campaign part of it."

Burr downplayed questions about why Bush did not campaign on behalf of candidates in the state's hottest congressional races, particularly on behalf of Hayes and Taylor.

"I think we're good in both of those districts," Burr said. "And I think it's a function of, how many places can the president of the United States go."

The evening fundraiser, he said, is "much more valuable to all Republican candidates because it deals with money."

Foxx said the money the president will help raise is needed to win elections. But she also said she rearranged her schedule to make sure she spent time with the president in the state.

"I certainly did not want there to be any doubts about my running away from the president," she said.