But some state boards of education don't want "big government" telling them what to do. And I don't believe that there is a constitutional right to education. Since the states have the purview and the purse strings for local education funding in their jurisdictions, will they even want to be competitive?
Oh, and by the way, to truly compete with other countries we would need international standards and assessments NOT national ones.
Alrighty ThenStudents in rural Missouri should be expected to compete with students in urban Massachusetts, if that's what they want.
All children should have the right to have a publicly funded, rigorous education. That's not to say that all children should be forced to participate in college-prep coursework. Education can still be locally administered, and parents can still choose whatever education they want for their children. But they should all at least be given the opportunity to obtain an education up to the (proposed) national standard.
Right now, in America, your quality of education and therefore your opportunities in life are highly dependent on your family's income and what district you just happen to live in. It's not fair. Everyone deserves access to the best our nation has to offer in education.
Alan
