Gearing up for the election, President Obama and Mitt Romney have each formed their own education platforms that may, from some angles, seem unusually similar. How will this impact the upcoming debates, and will the topic even garner adequate attention?

Paul Peterson, professor of government, director of the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University and editor-in-chief of Education Next, will join The Daily Circuit Wednesday to talk about education policy in the November elections. Fawn Johnson, correspondent for National Journal, will also join the discussion.

WHERE THEY STAND (from the Associated Press)

OBAMA

Has approved waivers freeing states from the most onerous requirements of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law with their agreement to improve how they prepare and evaluate students. "Race to the Top" competition has rewarded winning states with billions of dollars for pursuing education policies Obama supports. Won approval for a college tax credit worth up to $10,000 over four years and more money for Pell grants for low-income college students. Wants Congress to agree to reduce federal aid to colleges that go too far in raising tuition.

ROMNEY

Supported the federal accountability standards of No Child Left Behind law. In 2007, said he was wrong earlier in career when he wanted the Education Department shut because he came to see the value of the federal government in "holding down the interests of the teachers' unions" and putting kids and parents first. Has said the student testing, charter-school incentives and teacher evaluation standards of Obama's "Race to the Top" competition "make sense" although the federal government should have less control of education.

KERRI'S TAKEAWAY

Interesting statistic: 40 percent of Minnesota 11th graders are not passing the math standards test. The test isn't required to graduate right now, but will be in the future.

How much confidence do you have in Minnesota schools? Comment on the blog.

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