by Jeanne Allen
Politico, The Arena
Open Mike, Jan. 7-8, 2012

Education is the cornerstone of America. Brick by brick we built this country through knowledge, learning and innovation. But as time has passed, significant cracks in that foundation have spread and the walls are starting to crumble.

The most recent Nation’s Report Card showed that barely 40 percent of the nation’s 4th- and 8th-grade students are proficient in math and reading. SAT and ACT scores have remained flat revealing that a majority of our students are not ready for college. And globally, the United States has slipped to 16th in college education attainment, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

It’s obvious that what we’re doing isn’t working. But, even with all trends showing that our system is heading in the wrong direction, we’ve yet to see any the 2012 Republican presidential candidates take the stage and make education a core component of their campaign.

Last month, a Rasmussen Report poll showed that 60 percent of likely voters view education as a “very important” issue and a Gallup poll found that 66 percent have “some” or “very little” confidence in the U.S. public school system.

Education and the current system are a point of concern for the American people. Education needs to be the top story, not buried on page four. While the economy dominates the discussion, the correlation between a strong economy and a sturdy educational base should not be overlooked.

We need tools to rebuild that base and it begins with an attentive conversation on education during this election. We need more than a quick sound byte or sixty-second debate question response. We need a full discourse. We need a candidate to stand up for education and make reform a centerpiece.

Let’s ask questions and send the message that we need a mandate on education. While some states have made progress on revolutionizing its approach, the majority remains incapacitated by the status quo quagmire.

What will each candidate do to promote better student achievement, more accountability and more choices for parents in search of the right school for their children? And how will they do it with fewer regulatory strings?

Where’s the meaningful conversation on labor reform? How will they fight the bureaucracy and special interests – those concerned more with input rather than output — in order to put children first?

It’s only when the candidates embrace and answer these questions that we can begin to rebuild the foundation of America – education.