However, high stakes testing overshadowed it all. I could just see the testing and textbook publisher rubbing their hands and smiling. All their lobbying had paid off. I could also see private schools poised with their hands hanging over the lids of the cookie jar, waiting for all public schools to fail so vouchers could be ushered in.

I think there was some lobbying and deal-making that went on to make some companies very rich that should be supporting public education instead of tearing it down.

I politics, follow the money…over $6 billion of it.