By CHARLES A. MASON Tribune Chronicle

CLEVELAND - During his visit to the city where the nationwide debate on the use of school vouchers faced its greatest test, President Bush on Monday said the U.S. Supreme Court's decision finding Cleveland's school-voucher program constitutional is a constructive approach to improving public education.

Speaking inside Cleveland's resplendent State Theatre in Playhouse Square Center, the president, in a wide-ranging speech that touched on many domestic issues, praised the recent school voucher decision.

''The people of Cleveland and the state of Ohio decided that one of the approaches they wanted to take was to encourage a voucher system to be implemented,'' the president said.

''That was a local decision,'' he said, delivering his remarks without a TelePrompTer from a podium with the U.S. presidential seal on the front of it. Behind him on the stage was a red, white and blue backdrop with the words ''A Better America.'' As Bush spoke, he would at times lean over the podium and gesture with his hands to press home a point. He smiled and talked easily in a conversational tone with the audience.

Bush's Secretary of Education Rod Paige, who introduced the president to the audience of less than 3,000 people - some of whom entered the theater as early as 8 a.m. for the 11:20 a.m. speech that ended at 12:07 p.m. - called Cleveland ''the Ground Zero for freedom of choice in public schools.''

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a landmark decision that tuition vouchers are constitutional. The question had been raised as a separation of state and church issue because it would allow parents to spend taxpayer money on tuition at private schools - of which some are parochial.

The 5-4 decision could fundamentally change the education landscape by allowing wider public financing of religious schools.

Bush praised the voucher decision by America's highest court.

''And the Supreme Court of the United States gave a great victory to parents and students throughout the nation by upholding the decisions made by local folks here in the City of Cleveland, Ohio,'' he said.

Bush said every child must be educated in America, repeating the phrase, ''every child.''

He said school vouchers are a strategy to achieve excellence for every child.

Bush tied school vouchers to his legislative proposal for tax credits for parents whose children are in kindergarten through 12th grade.

''I urge Congress, when we debate how to improve public education, to pass the tax credit so parents will have more flexibility and more choices when it comes to the education of their children,'' he said.

Bush compared the school voucher decision to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared unconstitutional separate public education systems for blacks and whites.

''Last week, what's notable and important is that the Court declared that our nation will not accept one education system for those who can afford to send their children to a school of their choice and for those who can't,'' Bush said, adding, ''And that's just as historic.''

Bush also touched on other domestic themes:

"  Homeland security - ''We've got a lot of good folks who are spending a lot of time chasing down any hint or any lead, any idea that somebody might have to hurt us. We're on it.'' Bush also said his plan is to have more than 100 agencies scattered across the nation's capital consolidated under one Homeland Security cabinet position.

"  The Sept. 11 attack - ''I can't imagine what was going through their mind when they attacked us. They must have thought America was so materialistic and so selfish and so self-absorbed that we might just file a lawsuit or two. They learned differently. They learned that we love our country and love our freedoms.'' Bush said he seeks a peaceful world and America must lead that effort.

"  Compassionate conservatism - ''Our aim isn't to make government bigger by spending more money; our aim isn't to focus on finance, large or small. Our aim must be to mean that when we spend money, we spend it on what works to create a better society.''

"  Home ownership - ''One of the barriers to homeownership is the cost of down payment. And I'm working with Congress right now to have a down payment assistance program. ... The goal for this country is that by 2010 we have 5.5 million new minority homeowners.''

"  Corporate responsibility - ''You see, in order to keep the job base increasing in America, there must be trust. And some have violated the trust. They haven't assumed their responsibility. I expect there to be responsibility at all levels in our society. And I intend to fully enforce the law when people cheat on the balance sheets of corporate America.''