Go Your Own Way

In this article, the author discusses Iowa's deference to local autonomy. Unlike most states, Iowa continues its long history of local independence by allowing districts to set their own goals. In the late 1990s, when the nation's governors and business leaders threw their weight behind the push for statewide academic standards, Iowa begged to differ. With its strong tradition of local control and history for comparatively high performance, the state felt little compulsion to get on the bandwagon. Despite the quirks that come with Iowa's adherence to local control, many in the state believe that district standards spare them some of the mania over test preparation.