The Founding Fathers ardently believed that the endurance of the American experiment depends on a well informed population.  Thomas Jefferson candidly said, "An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people." For the first century of the nation's history, public and private schools were run at the local level, with ample parental involvement and minimal government oversight.  During this period, the United States was a beacon for freedom – especially after the Civil War – eventually becoming the world leader in economic innovation and entrepreneurship. The U.S. education system, which was unique in its decentralized and inclusive (for its time) nature, helped America leapfrog much older European nations, most of which continued to hold on to their hierarchical and centralized education approaches.  By the end of World War I, in 1918, the United States was the world's undisputed economic...(Read Full Article)