Bill Richardson unveiled a wide-ranging agenda for education today that includes proposals to broaden the federal national-service program, train more math and science teachers, provide incentives for colleges to rein in tuition, and increase funds for vocational-education programs.

The Democrat and governor of New Mexico said in his speech at a high school in New Hampshire that too many of the nation’s young people remain unprepared for college and that too many workers aren’t getting the training they need to compete in a global economy.

He said he wants to give college graduates up to $24,000 (the average cost of four years of tuition at a public university) to help them pay back their tuition if they complete one of several forms of public service.

Mr. Richardson said the program would pay for two years of college for every year of service a graduate performed. Recent graduates could earn the funds by participating in such programs as Teach for America, Americorps, and the Peace Corps.

They also could receive the government aid if they teach in under-served areas or become firefighters or police officers.

On other fronts, Mr. Richardson called for training 100,000 more math and science teachers and creating 250 academies to provide free and rigorous math and science instruction to seventh through 12th graders.

He advocated scrapping the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and replacing the lengthy form with a “postcard size” one.

Among his other proposals, he said he would eliminate federal subsidies that go to banks and other private lenders who provide student loans, create financial incentives for colleges to limit their tuition increases, and increase federal funds for vocational-education programs.