"CURRENT EDUCATION SECRETARY OFFERS ADVICE TO OBAMA" At a financial aid conference last week, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said she planned to begin submitting recommendations to make the federal student-aid process easier for parents and students.   Spellings marked on helping the neediest parents and students first. Spellings, when commenting about student aid eligibility, said "it should be based simply on income and family size because those are reasonable, understandable variables."   Under these recommendations, Spellings said, students will have the advantage of bargaining with the colleges they are choosing from. Students will know how much financial aid they have regardless of which college they choose.   Spellings is soon ready to present her ideas at the request of Congress, but also said she hoped President Obama would follow her advice. Return to Education Startegy