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Their ideas were good, and their speeches were beautiful. But that was never the problem. The real challenge was going to be standing up to the teachers’ unions and the other groups that have undermined nearly every other reform effort.
The real questions were these: Would the administration water down their reform criteria in the face of political pressure? Would the Race to the Top money end up getting doled out like any other federal spending program, and thus end up subsidizing the status quo? Would the administration hold the line and demand real reform in exchange for the money?
There were many reasons to be skeptical. At the behest of the teachers’ unions, the Democrats had just shut down a successful District of Columbia voucher program. Moreover, state legislatures around the country were moving backward. They were passing laws prohibiting schools from using student performance as a criterion in setting teacher pay.
But, so far, those fears are unjustified. The news is good. In fact, it’s very good. Over the past few days I’ve spoken to people ranging from Bill Gates to Jeb Bush and various education reformers. They are all impressed by how gritty and effective the Obama administration has been in holding the line and inciting real education reform.
One of the huge long-term problems on Obama's plate is raising US educational standards, and that is vital to reversing the decline the US is experiencing in many areas. This will take many years but, like infrastructure improvements, will pay off big time in the future.
Pulling our own sons out of school to teach them at home was a big decision and necessitated a big family commitment, but Constance and I determined that it had to be done. Not everyone is in a position to do that, though, and the education of our nation's children should not depend upon chance factors like where they live or who their parents are.