It seems that both sides of the political aisle aren’t that far apart when it comes to the issue of education.

Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office recently sent out a press release that compared his Jan. 11 State of the Commonwealth Address with President Barack Obama’s Jan. 25 State of the Union Address, finding much common ground between the two.

Titled "In Their Own Words: President Obama and Governor McDonnell on K-12 and Higher Education," the comparison shows that both men favor recognizing effective teachers and rewarding them with better pay, and getting tuition costs under control to make college affordable for all.

While these sentiments are shared by many across the political spectrum, the real question is: Can the two sides come together with the money, guidance and leadership to make the United States a world leader in the classroom once again?

Our future depends on it.
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