Public Education

Introduction

The American education system is in a confused state. Standardized test scores are on the decline compared to our international counterparts. Fewer and fewer students each year pass competency tests in math, English and science. Simultaneously, parents are wondering what to do with their kids. Should they pull them out of sex education classes perceived as LGBTQ indoctrination? Should they homeschool them? The education of future leaders, scientists, doctors, lawyers, and writers is crucial to the American project. So: what comes next?

N.B. This brief does not include Teacher's Union content. See our Unions and Organized Labor brief for that topic. We also do not cover the design of the Common Core curriculum, as we at CtD are not experts in the psychological development of children as it relates to math and English, nor are many high schoolers participating in our discussion. Our discussion focuses on K-12 education. Please read our College brief for another discussion, if you're interested.

Democrat

For the most part, democrats are for the system as it currently exists. Younger teachers joining the workforce skew left, so the momentum of education is leftward. Additionally, Democrats tend to favor a larger state, so a larger federal impact on the education system. Almost all Democrats at least believe in the existence of a federal education program. With Democrats dominating high academia, many of them believe that education ought to be a pedagogical inquiry into knowledge rather than a means to an end for jobs.

i) School Choice

Democrats are generally against school choice, or the practice of giving families increased independence in their use of education funding. The two primary methods of school choice are vouchers, which allow students to spend a certain budget on an independent education, and open enrollment, which allows to attend schools outside of their assigned district.

The broad argument made by democrats is that school choice actually reduces equality among students. First, granting students vouchers reduces funding to public schools that are in more need than their private counterparts. Open enrollment means that the smarter and/or richer kids flock away from local schools that are deemed to have lower outcomes, perpetuating a cycle of lower funding leading to lower quality of education and vice versa.

Additionally, both give unequal opportunity. Consider a well-off student deciding between a local public school and a higher-quality private school that's further away. The well-off student is more likely to have the capacity to drive to school further than a lower-income student.

ii) Selective Education

Democrats largely believe in an egalitarian education, that is, one that acknowledges histories of many groups, particularly emphasizing historically marginalized ones (see our Critical Race Theory brief). In recent years, this has expanded to include a sex education very open to LGBTQ perspectives. Some parents object, but most Democrats believe that a) children who are thinking about transitioning or coming out should not be subject to harsh judgment by family members (i.e., it is the school's job to create a safe space), and b) just like in history class, students should not be able to opt out of certain parts of learning.

iii) Administration

Democrats generally believe in a larger school administration rather than a smaller one. Mental health counselors, learning specialists, DEI deans, and disciplinarian vice principals can all holistically improve the student experience. Essentially, the marginal taxpayer dollar that goes towards funding these administrators is worth it in order to catch the stragglers and uplift all members of a school. The democratic outlook on all of these issues is essentially egalitarian.

Republican

The Republican view does not place public education on so high a pedestal. Generally, they see it as a means to an end in preparing Americans for the job market. Many who do not have as much trust in a federalized public system but cannot or will not pay for a private education decide to homeschool their children (many of whom have greater education outcomes). Here are their views on the same issues.

i) School Choice

Republicans generally believe that both vouchers and open enrollment promote individual and school success. On an individual level, it's easy to see: if you're a smarter student, going to a better school can help you immensely. Independent schools have increased flexibility, so vouchers can pose some great upsides.

Forcing schools to compete with each other under school choice arrangements actually promotes all parties involved pushing themselves to provide a higher-quality education. This is similar to how multiple competing corporations generally end up providing higher-quality products to the consumer than a monopoly (which has no incentive to innovate).

ii) Selective Education

Generally, Republicans believe that education is largely a means to an end, so there's no real reason to be learning about LGBTQ issues or what transitioning means at a 4th-grade level rather than math, science, or writing, especially with those skills already falling behind.

Additionally, from the level of individual liberty, many of them believe parents who have religious beliefs opposing LGBTQ perspectives should be able to opt out their child from these classes.

iii) Administration

To many, the administrative positions listed above seem a little ridiculous. A statistic: since 2000, the student population across public schools in the US has increased 5%. Across the same time period, the teacher population has grown 10%, a reasonable shift. Across the same time period, the administrator population has grown a whopping 90 percent. With test scores falling behind (in Baltimore, 40% of high schools did not have a single student test as proficient in math), it seems unreasonably to be spending money on DEI mental health specialists rather than paying teachers more, and perhaps drawing better ones.

All being told, the Republican view of education focuses on pragmatism and individual choice rather than the lofty pursuits of knowledge itself.

Discussion Questions

• What are the main arguments for and against school choice?
  • How do we evaluate these countervailing winds?
  • Which matters more to prioritize: excelling students held back by poor quality schools, or students lagging behind who might be saved by giving increased funding to a lower-quality school? Are their goals mutually exclusive?
• Should students be taught about marginalized communities during sex education? Should students be able to opt out?
  • If teachers hear from the student about sexual orientation or intention to transition, should they have to relate that to the parent?
• What direction should the administration of schools go? Are schools efficient? Think of the administrators and teachers at your school. What choice would you make, if you managed the budget for your school? (Please do not criticize any individuals.)
• How would you characterize the ideological differences between the Democratic and Republican positions?
  • When might one or the other be right? What's the middle ground?

EdWeek. "'Sharp, Steep Declines': U.S. Students Are Falling Behind in Math and Science." December 4, 2024. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/sharp-steep-declines-u-s-students-are-falling-behind-in-math-and-science/2024/12

EdChoice. "What is School Choice?" https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/

The Brookings Institution. "Democrats and Republicans on K-12 education: A comparison." September 5, 2024. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/democrats-and-republicans-on-k-12-education-a-comparison/

ABC News. "Where Harris, Trump stand on school choice, voucher programs." October 4, 2024. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/harris-trump-stand-school-choice-voucher-programs/story?id=113618875

Pew Research. "Teachers', teens' and Americans' views about race, LGBTQ issues being taught in school." February 22, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/02/22/race-and-lgbtq-issues-in-k-12-schools/

NBC News. "Over 30 new LGBTQ education laws are in effect as students go back to school." August 30, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/30-new-lgbtq-education-laws-are-effect-students-go-back-school-rcna101897

American Experiment. "District admin growth 10x greater than student, teacher growth." November 30, 2022. https://www.americanexperiment.org/district-admin-growth-10x-greater-than-student-teacher-growth/

The Virginian Pilot. "Public education needs teachers, not more administrators." April 26, 2025. https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/04/26/column-public-education-needs-teachers-not-more-administrators/

Edweek. "Administrators Can Make or Break School Culture. Here's How to Spot the Best Ones (Opinion)." August 8, 2018. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-administrators-can-make-or-break-school-culture-heres-how-to-spot-the-best-ones/2018/08