Whom the Candidates Listen to on Education

Clinton

President of the American Federation of Teachers Edward McElroy and his union have endorsed Clinton. Rudy Crew, superintendent of schools in Miami-Dade County, has a record of improving urban school systems. Codirector Andrew Rotherham of the Education Sector think tank (who has also advised Obama) led the White House Domestic Policy Council education team under President Clinton.

Obama

Linda Darling-Hammond is founder of the School Redesign Network. Obama's campaign team also includes Michael Johnston, cofounder of New Leaders for New Schools, which recruits, trains, and places urban school leaders. Christopher Edley, the law school dean at uc-Berkeley, is a member of the independent commission that issued recommendations last year for reforming the No Child Left Behind law.

McCain

Longtime McCain adviser Lisa Graham Keegan served as Arizona's superintendent of public instruction. McCain's education policy coordinator, David Crane, served as senior policy adviser to Sen. Trent Lott, for whom he managed Senate negotiations on No Child Left Behind. Phil Handy, the former chairman of the Florida Board of Education under Gov. Jeb Bush, helps craft McCain's education policy.