Mike --- thanks for the dialogue. Hard to sharpen our foils with people who always agree. 

I used to share your soviet-era view of economics. Had an epiphany many years ago though that good intentions are not as important results. You know-- that whole "tragedy of the commons" concept. 

Without incentives to innovate and improve, the public education industry is
always going to take the "safe" and well worn path of education delivery that has changed very little since Horace Mann and the 1840's --because so many adults have a vested interest in that model. 

Unfortunately for those people vested in the status quo, innovation and disruptive mastery-based education delivery models like Carpe Diem, Kahn Academy, Rocketship and many more are rapidly emerging. They will have the same effect on education that Uber has had in personal travel and Redfin is having on real estate transactions.

Without competition, we get the expensive stagnation that is the hallmark AK public schools.