With the 2012 Republican presidential primaries well-underway, it is important to understand where the candidates stand on the issues that hit closest to home, especially school choice.  Please note that this is not a political endorsement of any of the candidates below.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney:

This week, Education Week featured an article examining Iowa caucus winner Mitt Romney's stance on education-related issues.  According to the article, the former Massachusetts governor is a fan of standardized testing and has applauded the No Child Left Behind Act with providing "a much-needed boost to accountability." 

In November 2011, during a Fox News/Google debate in Orlando, FL Romney issued his support for school choice, and the need for effective teachers, high standards, and accountability.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich:

On his official website, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich calls for parental choice in education.  "Parents have the right to choose the school that is best for their child, and should never be trapped in a failing school against their will," reads the Gingrich Education Plan.

In his education plan, Gingrich also calls for an increase in transparency and accountability tied to achievement.  He also calls for the implementation of a "no limits" charter system, where all of the money allocated for a child's education would follow the child.  His plan would also give charters the ability to manage the school's own staff, and define its own curriculum, in line with state standards.  Under Gingrich's plan, all caps would be lifted on the number of charter schools that can be approved in a particular state.

Gingrich's plan also calls for increased innovation in the classroom, drawing on examples such as the Florida Virtual School model as a way to offer students an individualized learning model.

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania:

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has first-hand experience with virtual education as five of his children attended a public virtual charter school in Pennsylvania.  Sen. Santorum has been a strong critic of our nation's current education system.  During the Fox News/Google debate, Santorum called for greater parental choice and less Federal government involvement. "20 years ago, the federal contribution to education was 3%. It's now at 11%, and our schools are doing worse. It's because the federal government's meddling," stated Santorum. "The bottom-line problem is that the education system doesn't serve the customer of the education system. And who's the customer? The parents, because it's the parents' responsibility to educate their children--from the moment they were born, they began the education of their children.

"At some point, the government has convinced parents that it's no longer their responsibility. They force them, in many respects, to turn their children over to the public education system and wrest control from them and block them out of participation of that. That has to change or education will not improve in this country."

U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas:

During the Fox News/Google debate, U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas said he supports issuing tax credits for families that decide to homeschool their children, in an effort to help parents pay for tutors, books, computers, and other educational needs, a position he reiterates on his website.  "One-size-fits-all central planning simply does not work," states Rep. Paul on his official site.  Rep. Paul says he'd like "parents to have the freedom to choose the best education option for their children." 

Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman:

During a December 5th speech at the Heritage Foundation, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman addressed his stance on education-related issues, pointing to his experience in the Beehive State.  "We also launched a very aggressive charter school movement in our state because I was of the deep belief that we needed to find new opportunities for kids walking into the classroom," said Huntsman. 

"So having a marketplace of options, charter schools that speak to math, science, and engineering and arts and music was a very important step in our state, and I think our country would be similarly a very important step."

Huntsman, who has daughter who was homeschooled, has sent his children to a variety of schools, including public and international schools.  Huntsman also was responsible for signing the nation's second voucher bill into law. "We don't have enough in the way of options and choices for our kids," he said.  "I believe that every child walks into the classroom with a different approach, temperament and attitude toward learning.  Every child learns a little bit differently, and that one-size-fits-all approach to education doesn't serve our interests very well."

Texas Governor Rick Perry:

During the Fox News/Google debate, Texas Governor Rick Perry issued his support for school choice saying, "I happen to believe we ought to be promoting school choice all across this country. The voucher system, charter schools all across this country."

In his book "Fed Up", Governor Perry describes his vision for the future saying, "I see an education system that is the envy of the world, controlled by parents and the people according to the beliefs of the communities in which they live. I see an energetic mix of public, charter, and private schools, delivering options so people can choose what is best for their children, rather than getting stuck because a too-powerful teachers' union or government bureaucrat tells them how they must learn. The result is an important balance of academic excellence, local values, and a firm understanding of our nation's core founding principles--all of which will carry our nation forward with new generations of American achievement."