Education reform is always a controversial topic. It is also one that frequently makes its way into political debates. However, this is an issue that doesn’t have clear dividing lines based on party affiliation. Each candidate has a different view about where the direction of education should be focused in this country. Based on voting history and speeches on the matter, we can get a better understanding of where each of the current presidential nominees stands.
Jeb Bush
Describing the American education system as “the great moral and economic issue of our time,” Bush is in favor structural reforms such as adopting Common Core Standards. As governor of Florida, he attempted to determine issues within the public schools by implementing a system to evaluate their practices.
Ben Carson
Also in favor of Common Core Standards, Carson is unhappy with the nation’s current educational state, calling it a “propaganda system." The Carson Scholars Fund has granted more than $2 million toward funding education for those who would not be able to do so otherwise.
Chris Christie
During his time as governor, Christie introduced a performance-based pay system for public school teachers. He also raised the time required to gain tenure from three years to four. He has become a big supporter of school choice, using his own children as an example.
Hillary Clinton
Since her campaign in 2008, Clinton has pushed for universal preschool, which would be accessible to all children. She is also an avid supporter of charter schools and believes that teachers should receive higher salaries. She has advocated implementing fewer tax breaks on corporations and using the additional funding to go toward lowering the cost of college tuition.
Ted Cruz
Cruz is opposed to Common Core reforms, saying that it would be more effective to place control in the hands of local school administrators. Cruz argues that the loss of power within the schools themselves has led to performance disruptions.
Carly Fiorina
Fiorina supports No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top as incentives for schools to achieve national standards. However, she supports less federal support and more local authority as far as public schools are concerned.
Jim Gilmore
GIlmore believes that by moving around local funds, we will be able to raise teachers’ salaries, which would boost overall school performance. He has also spoken out on individual student rights, such as the protection of a moment of silence at the beginning of the school day.
Lindsey Graham
As senator, Graham voted against additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects, $52M for "21st century community learning centers,” $5B for grants to local educational agencies, and shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. He voted in favor of allowing school prayer during the War on Terror, requiring states to test students, and vouchers for private & parochial schools.
Mike Huckabee
Huckabee tends to vote based on his religious background, openly advocating school prayer in schools and abstinence-only sexual education. He has spoken out against adopting Common Core Standards, saying he is “dead set against the federal government creating a uniform curriculum for any subject.”
Bobby Jindal
Jindal says that the focus should be on student achievement, rather than increasing funding to school. While he initially embraced the idea of accepting Common Core Standards into Louisiana schools, he has since changed his decision.
Martin O’Malley
Due in part to his efforts, Maryland has had the slowest growth in college tuition since 2007. O’Malley is in favor of school choice, leaving room for more competition in education.
Marco Rubio
Rubio aims to make higher education more accessible, through means such as offering free online courses. In 2008, Rubio oversaw a record cut of $2.3 billion to public education in Florida schools.
Bernie Sanders
Sanders argues that by moving around the national budget and implementing less tax breaks for corporations, we can offer free or reduced college tuition to students, much like many European nations do. Sanders also opposed school choice, speaking out against charter schools.
Donald Trump
Trump opposes Common Core, calling the institution a “disaster." Some of Trump’s stances regarding education have been controversial, such as disassembling teacher unions and cutting funding for the Department of Education.
