[Excerpt] One of the most contentious issues unfolding in the political landscape of the United States is public education optimization and reform. While the United States represents the world’s largest and most diverse economy, it ranks “average” at best when it comes to public school education as a whole, and markedly worse in the math and science disciplines. Making matters even more bleak, states such as Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana have mandated deep educational cuts in the face of extreme budget pressure, which has made reform and advancement even more of a tenuous suggestion.