[bitmasher9]

I think a bad home environment will limit a students performance more than bad classroom instruction.

Bad decisions at the state level can hurt the academic performance for thousands and thousands of students.

Both are very bad problems that should be addressed.

[brian8620]

I absolutely agree. There are so many prongs to a complete education; mandates, curriculum changes, social and political injections, funding issues (particularly taxpayers needing to see a return on their educational investment), and so many more. One bad systemic decision can set off downward spirals in one, some, or all of these.