(KUTV) President Obama and Mitt Romney plan to take a break from campaigning this weekend, but until then both camps are playing hardball.

Hot topics include the deficit and education.

Mitt Romney went to school in Philadelphia, continuing his week-long focus on education.

"I'd like every parent to have a choice and every parent to have a chance,” said Romney

Teachers from the urban charter school criticized Governor Romney's education proposals – and his assertion that class size doesn't matter.

"I don't know any teacher who would want more students in the class," said music teacher Steven Morris, in response to Romney.

In a shift in strategy, the Obama campaign is expected to go after Romney's record as governor of Massachusetts.

During that time, Romney cut an estimated $275 million in education funding, and the state's debt rose 16%.

It was the national debt Romney used to attack the President. In Des Moines last week, he said the President added an historic amount to the deficit.

"A prairie fire of debt is sweeping Iowa and the nation,” said Romney.

The president campaigned in Des Moines Thursday night.

Obama retorted Romney’s remarks, saying "his speech was more like a cow pie of distortion."

He says Romney's plan would add to the deficit.

"He hasn't told you how he would pay for five trillion dollars in tax cuts,” said Obama. "That's like trying to put out a prairie fire with gasoline."

This is the president's second trip to Iowa in a month and his campaign has poured more than $2.6 million into ads in this key swing state.

Romney has begun airing ads of his own there which claim that Romney will announce deficit reductions on day one of his presidency, if elected.

He and the Republican National Committee plan to open a dozen or more offices in Iowa.   

(Copyright 2012 Sinclair Broadcasting Group.) Presidential Campaigning To Break For Weekend