Education - Barack Obama: Obama’s Education Department has instituted the Race to the Top competitive grant program to encourage school districts to create innovative ways to ensure that students graduate from high school college- or career-ready. The administration also has restructured and expanded federal financial aid programs.Newt Gingrich: Gingrich supports the Obama administration’s Race to the Top program, but says he would “dramatically shrink” the Education Department and eliminate most of its regulations.Mitt Romney: Romney favors No Child Left Behind’s federal accountability standards and has reversed an earlier position that would shutter the Education Department.Rick Santorum: Santorum proposes a “significantly” smaller Education Department. He also believes that early-childhood education programs are an attempt by government to “indoctrinate” children.(Photo: MIKE B...