Education and Today's DC Special Election

Education issues are always a battleground in DC politics, especially in the wake of Michelle Rhee's reforms. While many have lamented the sad state of the DC schools, they certainly have been at the front lines of the reform debate. SEED charter school was positively profiled in Waiting for Superman (check out right hand side of the page linked). John Philip Sousa middle school was taken to task in the film, but their students took that as a teachable moment. The KIPP network of charter schools in DC remains a national network with great market penetration in DC. Most conspicuous, of course, is Michelle Rhee, the former superintendent of schools who is now spearheading change with a nonprofit of her own. What do the DC candidates say about education and what are their qualifications?

View snapshots of their educational platforms after the jump: