Outstanding commentary. The truth is we should get
the Federal government completely out of our states
education system, As well as the NEA. There is no way
politicians in Washington DC can know what is best for
the residents of Utah.

I am certainly no fan of the feds, but my guess is that Alabama and Wisconsin both feel they know what is best for their children as well, Bruce.

Any suggestions for true reform?

Government CAN'T force education to work. If the people in the local community are allowed the freedom and the consequences of their choices through their local (not regional-in-size) school board regarding the standards, the students will be better off than with top-down standards imposed by experts. This builds the local patrons. They may not make perfect standards, but they will work to support what they have chosen. They will get better over time. Ultimately more districts and students will be better served this way than by imposing federal, or even state standards.

Just as 50 states in a federal system works better in so many things than one national government, even though they are different, so education will be better served without national heavy-handed directives - despite, or rather because of, what Alabama chooses for herself. One of the reasons America is great is because of the fact that we have 50 government laboratories, where different things are tried, and where the people are trained in self-government.

Jay, you are right on. The FIRST thing that must be done is to get rid of NCLB and the federal imposition in education.