EDUCATION REFORM
We must strive to maximize equality of opportunity in this country; this means making sure every child is given a chance to fulfill their God-given potential. There is no better place to start reaching for this goal than through reform of our education system.
EDUCATION REFORM
Developing and attracting human capital is critical to the United States’ economic success, but it is also a moral imperative in keeping with our great tradition of handing down to the next generation a better America. We should strive to maximize equality of opportunity in this country; this means making sure every child is given a chance to fulfill their God-given potential. There is no better place to start reaching for this goal than through reform of our education system.
Our public education system was designed to serve a 19th century economy that no longer exists; it needs to be modernized for the 21st century. Primary education has historically been, and should continue to be, run at the local level. Governor Huntsman’s vision for the federal government’s role in education is to end our “one size fits all approach” and create a new focus on individual students. Our path consists of two overarching goals: first, introducing market forces into the education system; and second, maximizing transparency so state and local leaders can identify problems and achieve better outcomes.
Like many complex social problems, there is no panacea for fixing our schools. Washington cannot single-handedly remedy our educational systems woes, nor should it try, but it can empower states to fix their own systems. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s reform efforts, and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels’ 2010 Education Reform package, are benchmarks against which all Governors, State Legislatures, and parents should measure themselves. Such reforms are critical if we are to maintain an able citizenry that is capable of competing in an increasingly challenging global economy. This is not just an economic issue, but a moral one as well; improved education and family choice are the single most important civil rights issue of the new century.
Key Priorities:
Introducing Market Forces into Education System: As the father of seven children, Governor Huntsman has seen firsthand the full spectrum of the American educational system. His children have attended public and private schools, international schools, and have been home-schooled. Governor Huntsman believes that parents are best equipped to make educational decisions for their own children. This may mean charter schools or attending vastly improved public education institutions. As such, Governor Huntsman supports an “all of the above” approach to education. The federal role should be acting as a clearinghouse for information and ideas, empowering states and local communities to take ownership of education reform. To this end, the federal government should attempt to minimize its role in trying to deliver outcomes, and instead encourage the growth of a more innovative educational system.
Creating Transparency: The key first step toward deregulation of education is introducing competition and transparency; free markets work best when given access to clear information. Jon Huntsman’s administration will establish meaningful and transparent national standards benchmarked to the world’s highest achieving educational systems and let states compete on how best to get there. Governor Huntsman believes that American students should be setting international standards, not aspiring to meet them. Our current standards are superficial, embarrassingly unambitious and confusing for teachers.
Real Accountability: The federal government shouldn’t be in the business of running local schools or picking winners. President Huntsman will make sure schools, their administrators, and their boards are held accountable through data-driven measures of processes and achievement. Incentives matter, and communities whose schools fail to meet Common Core benchmarks should not be rewarded. A possible consequence could be restricting access to federal resources. President Huntsman will also use his bully pulpit to encourage adaptation of a parent trigger wherein a significant number of concerned parents could induce state action. On the other hand, principals who demonstrate sustained innovation and success should be rewarded and held up as models for other educators.
Department of Education Reform: The Department of Education has grown too large and powerful, and is restricting the flexibility of states and local communities to implement education reforms. Massively scaling down the department will clear the way for necessary reforms at the local level and free up precious resources.
Acknowledging Hard Truths: Public policy must be driven by reality. We need an education system that is designed to equip all students to be informed citizens and allows all children to maximize their God-given talents. Governor Huntsman believes that every child has a genius within; the challenge lies in empowering it. In preparing our youth to join an able citizenry, our education system should both provide generous opportunity for students to achieve their highest level of performance, while simultaneously acknowledging economic realities and making graduates both “college” and “career” ready. We need to reevaluate our “at all costs” emphasis on higher education for everyone in an environment where that emphasis only disadvantages individuals in the long run.
Early Childhood Intervention: Early childhood learning is critical for our students’ long-term success. Unfortunately, many Americans are either unwilling or unable to take part in their children’s education. The federal government must provide assistance to these youth by funding early childhood education programs to maximize opportunity for children who are victims of circumstance.
Protecting Higher Education: By any measure America has the best system of higher education in the world; however, the gap is closing as states tighten budgets and endowments take hits. Many of the headwinds the higher education system is facing are a function of Washington. Jon Huntsman’s administration will work with states and universities to ensure they have the resources necessary to attract and educate the very best and stop incentivizing price inflation of education.
