The two, who represent our regions of West Virginia and Ohio in the House of Representatives, voted in favor of a bill that would return more control over education to states and local school boards. The measure passed by the narrow vote of 218-213.

Federal education policy since the No Child Left Behind law was enacted in 2001 has varied primarily in the intensity of federal control. It has grown by leaps and bounds.

Achievement by students in public schools has not. As McKinley pointed out, "only 26 percent of high school seniors (are) proficient in math and just 38 percent of seniors (are) proficient in reading."

"Worse yet, one out of every five students nationwide (has) dropped out of high school in recent years," Johnson added.

Voting against the change "would have meant endorsing current policy," McKinley noted. Again, he and Johnson were right to reject that failed approach.

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