"Quality Counts is Education Week's annual report on state-level efforts to improve public education." Arizona places 44th of 51 (DC is included) with a rating of C-. When high-performing schools like University High Tucson and districts like Paradise Valley and Scottsdale are excluded, Arizona's score and rating must be lower.

 The significance? The future is not local. Our children will compete against Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Virginia, the top four finishers in the 2012 "Quality Counts". Our children will compete against Berlin, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro. Our children will compete against the best and the brightest on a global playing field. Local interests and local standards are irrelevant.