After decades and trillions of dollars, after unsuccessfully cycling through an endless series of programs, we have enough evidence and experience to draw a solid conclusion: the federal government cannot significantly improve school performance.

By phasing out futile federal efforts in education, taxpayers would regain control of billions of their hard-earned dollars every year. The effect of this financial windfall on American society would be significant: creating jobs, stimulating investment, and raising the overall standard of living.

More on Federal Education Policy

Commentary

Stop the Rush to the Common Core

By Neal McCluskey, Williamson Evers and Sandra Stotsky. New York Daily News. July 1, 2013.

Common Core Delay Is an Opportunity for Real Education Reform: As I See It

By Jason Bedrick. PennLive. May 31, 2013.

Our Indispensable Government

By Michael D. Tanner. National Review (Online). May 22, 2013.

Cato Studies

The Impact of Charter Schools on Public and Private School Enrollments

By Richard Buddin. Policy Analysis No. 707. August 28, 2012.

Behind the Curtain: Assessing the Case for National Curriculum Standards

By Neal McCluskey. Policy Analysis No. 661. February 17, 2010.

The Poverty of Preschool Promises: Saving Children and Money with the Early Education Tax Credit

By Adam B. Schaeffer. Policy Analysis No. 641. August 3, 2009.

Articles

Did Expansion of the Pell Grant Program Lead to Tuition Hikes?

Neal McCluskey. CQ Researcher. Vol. 23. No. 3. January 18, 2013.

Coming Soon: The Federal Department of Standardized Minds

Neal McCluskey. Freeman. Vol. 61. No. 6. July 2011.

Comparing Public, Private, and Market Schools: The International Evidence

Andrew J. Coulson. Journal of School Choice. Vol. 3. 2009.

Reviews & Journals

School Choice and Development: Evidence from the Edgewood Experiment

John Merrifield and Nathan L. Gray. Cato Journal. Winter 2013.

Events

The Common Core: De Facto Federal Control of America’s Schools

Featuring Neal McCluskey. June 11, 2013. Capitol Hill Briefing.

Chicago: Teachers Unions’ Last Stand?

Featuring Caleb O. Brown and Neal McCluskey. September 19, 2012. Sponsor E-Briefing.

40 Years of Title IX: Blessing, Curse, or Something in Between?

Featuring Neal McCluskey. June 20, 2012. Policy Forum.

Downsizing the Federal Government

Higher Education Subsidies

By Neal McCluskey and Chris Edwards. May 2009.

K-12 Education Subsidies

By Neal McCluskey. May 2009.