April 6, 2007 1:30PM 

# The Standards Movement Has It Backwards 

By [Andrew J. Coulson](https://www.cato.org/people/andrew-coulson) 

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Campaigners for a uniform national curriculum and testing system believe that higher standards will drive excellence.

I argue in the on-line edition of today’s *Washington Post* that [they have it exactly backwards](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/05/AR2007040501758.html): it is, in fact, the competitive pursuit of excellence that drives up standards, not the other way around.

##### Related Tags 

[Education](https://www.cato.org/education), [Center for Educational Freedom](https://www.cato.org/center-educational-freedom) 

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