The presidential candidates are focusing on a shaky economy and the problems in Iraq and say they care about our nation. But what are they doing to make sure we have a nation to care for in the future?

Seventy percent of eighth graders are not strong enough in reading, over a million high schoolers drop out each year, and nearly one third of college freshmen must take remedial math or English courses. But our physicists and engineers of tomorrrow are all sitting in the classrooms of today.

Let’s take a look at the Presidential Candidates campaigns on education and how they plan to improve the state of education in the States. 

Republican
McCain is definitely more known for his views on defence and federal spending than education. Unlike the two Democratic contenders, McCain doesn’t yet have a detailed education platform, though his campaign says it’s on the way.

He supports the traditional Republic platform including No Child Left Behind which requires states to develop testing in basic skills like English and math. Schools that don’t meet the requirements will not get as much federal funding. McCain plans to make slight changes to the law’s testing requirements to make it more lenient for schools with many students with disabilities and for schools with high percentages of English-language learners. McCain also supports merit pay, vouchers and charter schools.

Democrats
Clinton and Obama have similar education platforms. Both candidates focus on making colleges more affordable. Both candidates reference rising tuition costs and lack of financial aid packages. For instance, while the federal Pell grant maximum has been raised by $681 in the past two years, the average cost of a year at a public university has jumped more than $1,000. That means colleges are becoming less and less affordable for students from low-income families.

Obama’s plan is to establish a refundable tax credit of $4,000 to go towards tuition each year. And Clinton would increase the maximum Pell grant and create a $3,500 tax credit for tuition.

With regards to the No Child Left Behind Law, Obama’s wants to improve testing and support schools that need help. Clinton wants to end the No Child Left Behind Law completely and replace it with broader assessments that focus on individual students’ academic growth. 

The Children are our Future?
The Education platform is pretty low on both parties lists, with things like gas prices taking center stage. But without strong education for future generations, there will be no future. And that means every child will be left behind.