Trying things like vouchers, charter schools and magnet schools, and breaking the union lock on teaching, and allowing professionals from other fields to teach our children even if they don't have a degree in teaching are worth a try. They are what conservatives advocate. This is just one example of how you can use the free market or more creative approaches to problems. For instance, how about environmental regulations. That's probably an area where you need a national policy.
Education is fundamentally local and the environment is fundamentally global.
I'm not an expert on the environment, that's not really my issue. But I'm inclined to agree with the premise of your question that that's not an area where the free market approach works. I don't think it matters in the bar per se. I do get a little frustrated living in a state where my vote never counts, at least for national offices. I don't think the bar is that political.