There's a reasonable tendency among Americans to view the education of their kids as an exclusively local issue and distinct to their communities. After all, school buildings are constant fixtures in neighborhoods, sports teams play crosstown rivals and the vast majority of public students still attend schools based solely on zip code.
However, the innovations and flurry of activity that takes place in classrooms and communities are guided by the state level policies that govern them, which is why the 2014 gubernatorial election results matter, and could potentially mean substantial improvements to student learning.
A national analysis found that more than half of governors hold encouraging views or have proven track records on promoting the types of choice and accountability measures that will lift student outcomes and give more power to parents in the educational process.
Post-election media reports signaled an overall victory for candidates with fresh ideas on how to make education the great equalizer.
This means that if there are meaningful shifts in policy that facilitate excellent schools, they're likely to originate from the statehouses and governor's mansion.
These governors and governors-elect understand that schools cannot be properly held accountable for results if parents don't have the choice to look around them and find the best educational fit for their child. And the teachers that work hard day in and day out should be rewarded for performing well and going the extra mile for kids.
They appreciate that some students need an alternate environment to master course content, and want to expand charter schools to operate alongside traditional schools, with the necessary autonomy for teachers to cater to particular learning needs.
