Obama and McCain Agree High-Quality Charters Are Making a Difference

There is not much that John McCain and Barack Obama agree upon.  But a key area where their platforms align is in their belief in charter schools.  Throughout their campaigns, both Senators have spoken to the importance of school choice, and expanding options, such as charter schools in order to improve the landscape of education.

John McCain clearly outlined his belief in healthy competition for schools and for parents to have choices in education including charter schools, parochial school and home schools. 

“Choice and competition amongst schools is one of the key elements that's already been proven in places in like New Orleans and New York City and other places, where we have charter schools, where we take good teachers and we reward them and promote them.”
-– John McCain, Third Presidential Debate, October 15, 2008

Barack Obama emphasized that he agreed with John McCain about charter schools. Obama views charter schools as “important innovators” that promote healthy competition in public schools. 

“McCain and I actually agree on two things that he just mentioned. Charter schools, I doubled the number of charter schools in Illinois despite some reservations from teachers unions. I think it's important to foster competition inside the public schools.”
-– Barack Obama, Third Presidential Debate, October 15, 2008

To hear more about the candidates educational platforms' and their support for charter schools, view the videos below:

To find out more about the candidates' policies on education:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education/

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/19ce50b5-daa8-4795-b92d-92bd0d985bca.htm