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Nary a conversation seems to occur on world globalization and progress without a mention of the famous Thomas Friedman book, “The World is Flat.” I cannot do it justice in these few short words I have to offer, but suffice it to say that the World is Flat is a tome on how boundaries and borders no longer matter to the creation of wealth, progress, and human industry that once seemed confined to a nation’s territory.  Indeed, the world’s flattening has given us customer service from India, and a challenge to American industry and competitiveness that has never been seen before.

Given this reality, I have to wonder why the education world has not yet grasped its own inevitable and necessary flattening.  No, I’m not talking about national standards – that’s an idea that has other worrisome issues attached to it (and I’m not talking about states rights).  I am talking about the attitude of policymakers and advocates, who believe that the education challenges and issues they face in their state are unique.  

States do indeed have wonderful and exceptional attributes and conditions that make them unique.  I can’t visit a place without wishing I had a few days to spend taking in the local culture, visiting its stores, restaurants, parks (in that order), and seeing the beauty each place has to offer.

Schools and school systems do look different across many communities and states, too. Where I grew up, every town was a district – the three public schools in my town were so closely knit, and so in-tune with what was happening a few blocks away that conditions and educational levels were quite high. It was more personalized because of the connectivity of those schools.  And yet where I live now, the counties are districts, making huge, monolithic systems where connections are rarely made except when heroic personnel go out of their way to make them.

These are important distinctions, as are constitutions. Some state constitutions guarantee equitable education, some merely adequate. But regardless of precedence in law, or differences in boundaries and how schools operate from state to state, there is no difference between good policy and bad across the states.

When it comes to what works in good education policy, the education world is simply and clearly flat.

Look at charter school laws.  We have fifteen years of experience with this reform.  We know the components that work – and those that don’t. We know school boards and state board of education are not the best authorizers; they are often the worst.  It doesn’t matter whether they are in Georgia or New Hampshire or Arizona.  School boards are flat.  They operate the same no matter what state you enter.  

Starting a new public school – a charter – requires the same diligence no matter what the state. Ensuring that there is a high degree of both freedom and accountability is important, no matter what the state.

People from one state can and do benefit from the lessons and knowledge of people from other states, but often they just don’t know it.  The legislator who stands up and introduces a proposal for more choice is taking a page from California or Florida.  And yet time after time, advocates will argue that only Vermonters can help Vermont, as if Vermont’s unique terrain, commerce, accents or even political persuasion are a natural barrier to a charter law that looks like New York, or a tax credit that looks like Florida’s.

Americans by nature are parochial about the things closest to them. That state pride is a proud and fitting hallmark that hails from our founders.  We should always embrace who we are not just as Americans, but as Texans and Marylanders, and so on.  But to allow those loyalties to stand in the way of progress in education reform when the rest of the world is increasingly flat, is to allow excellence to pass us by.

With the official opening of Edspresso under CER’s direction, we hope you’ll join with us no matter where you live to allow – and to push – good reforms to happen to all of our kids.  We welcome your continued feedback and commentary.

Jeanne Allen is the president of the Center for Education Reform, a full service education reform engine that has provided support and guidance to parents, policymakers and grassroots activists for almost 14 years.