Senator Alexander is up and is arguing that the GOP should follow President Lincoln's lead. He provided opportunities through laws such as the one creating Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. That "Lincoln Approach" was later followed by the GI Bill, Pell Grants, etc. That contrasts with the FDR "Command and Control" approach, which is dominant in k-12 education policy today.
The federal government should be involved in education, but??Senator Alexander is??in favor of the Lincoln opportunity model, not the Rooseveltian command and control model. It's virtually impossible for lawmakers and regulators to make schools better.
What can feds do to confer opportunities on parents? Pell grants for kids: $500 to spend after school. A federal tax system favoring parents raising children. Pre-natal care. Nurse visits in homes. Home schooling. Help adults learn English. Work-site day care. Higher standards and data collection. Pay good teachers more by expanding the Teacher Incentive Fund. Encourage charter schools. Teach For America. Award peer-reviewed competitive research grants to ed schools. UTEACH. Summer academies for teachers of history and sciences. Train school leaders.
Republicans should create proposals and policies that create opportunities for students, parents, teachers, etc. But we should stay away from "command and control."
