What is the role of the federal government in public education?  Whether it be the stick/carrot arrangement promoted through NCLB, a calmer, gentler collaboration offered through EdSec Duncan and his plans for ESEA, or the drumbeats for the outright elimination of the U.S. Department of Education we’ve heard since the creation of the U.S. Department of Education in 1979, it is a question that is asked many a time, with little room for an answer we all agree to be correct and answered completely.

The question was asked again yesterday of many of the candidates for the Republican nomination for President of these here United States at a NYC forum sponsored by News Corp. and the College Board.  And the responses represented the good (well, ok, the mediocre), the bad, and the downright ugly.  The New York Post has the story here, while the Hechinger Report offers up its coverage here. 

After calling for the elimination of ED during his rise to Speaker of the House in the mid-1990s, Newt Gingrich was actually the strongest proponent for a federal role in public education.  Now an education reformer, Gingrich embraced the need to favor “the most rapid possible learning by the widest number of Americans.”  But it goes downhill from there.

No surprise that former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (PA), who homeschools his brood, lashed out against public education in general and testing and accountability in particular.  And certainly no surprise that U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN) seeks to end a federal role entirely, wanting to bypass the state, and hand over control of public education directly to parents.

But what was truly surprising was the vitriol that Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza and a man who is leading or close to leading many a GOP presidential poll, had for student loans and the federal government’s social compact with regard to postsecondary education.

“I do not believe that it is the responsibility of the federal government to help fund a college education,” the New York Post (another product of News Corp.) quotes Cain as saying. 

Really?  The federal government has no responsibility, financial or otherwise, to support postsecondary education?  We have no responsibility, through the GI Bill, to the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces?  We have no responsibility to first-generation college seekers through Pell Grants?  With everything we’ve seen in the banking industry in recent years, we have no responsibility to offer student loan guarantees to students in financial need?

As a nation, we have declared that postsecondary education is necessary for life success.  No longer is a high school diploma sufficient to achieve in a 21^st century economy.  Whether it be career/technical programs, community college, or four-year university, postsecondary education is quickly becoming a non-negotiable when it comes to the path to potential success.

So how can we say that the federal government has no responsibility in providing that non-negotiable?  Setting aside the Santorums and the Bachmanns of the world, most rational people recognize that the federal government has some responsibility in K-12, even if it is just ensuring equity through Title I funding, supporting students in need through IDEA, or just feeding our students through USDA-supported lunch programs.  We are now seeing a move toward early childhood education, with the feds looking to extend the front end of the education continuum to a P-12 investment. 

When we factor in the economic factors, is there really any question that there is a federal responsibility for a P-16 continuum?  At a time when the federal government should be looking for real return on investment when it comes to our tax dollars, are we really going to stand up and say that there is no ROI for postsecondary investment?

If we expect our economy to grow and thrive, we need to support investments that ensure we are educating today’s kids for the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow.  A strong back will soon no longer be enough to earn a good living.  We need strong minds as well.  And that demands postsecondary education experience.

Sorry, Mr. Cain.  On this exam, you clearly earn an F.  While we can explore what the federal responsibility is in education, one cannot say there is no role.  Your answer is incorrect.  You did not show your work.  And you really need to go back and study.