The debate in Washington about education in America leaves much to be desired. They suggest there is no alternative. They are wrong. The alternative is genuine local control and respect for sound teaching, allowing parents and school boards at the state and local level to make key decisions on how basic skills are taught.
Local control offers the best way to improve educational quality in America.
It is what parents want. It is what makes the most sense if we care about the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic, and sound science and balanced American history. Like many parents, grandparents and citizens, I have long been concerned about the decline in basic reading skills among American students. The idea is not to dictate teaching methods from Washington or to usurp the role of public schools, but to demonstrate through voluntary cooperative local initiatives, how phonics-based reading instruction programs have proven successful. But the advocates of big government have a tired old solution.