The United States used to be a global power for education, science, and technology but that position has steadily eroded. The USA's annual ranking in essential subjects (such as math and science) has not only put is behind countries such as China and India, but has also severally affected our economic output. As we push young people into the workforce, they come out of school to find that they don't have the necessary skills to compete.
The US Department of Education provides curriculum guidance on this issue, but has no power over State and local governments to force a standard on their students. As a consequence, no two schools provide the same education. How can we compete with other countries if we can't provide a nationwide, 21st century education to our youth?