I'm going to stipulate that both Democrats and Republicans want to improve education. There is, however, a difference in goals. There are those who believe in defending the status quo, that the only thing that matters is money, that standards and achievements are secondary to defending a bureaucracy and vested interests that subordinate parents and kids, especially low-income kids who don't have an alternative. I think money does matter. But other things matter as well.
Standards are vital.
We need to give power to parents, especially low income parents who want a better quality of education for their children but have no choice. We need to insure that teachers, administrators and parents have more flexibility at the local level to improve education. So I don't see education as just a Democratic issue at all. Republicans, and some Democrats, have a better message and a better view of how to truly improve education. George W. Bush won re-election in Texas overwhelmingly with a large percentage of the Democratic vote.