A friend pointed me to this New York Times column by Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich, wherein he states:

In 1993, some of our children were in classrooms too crowded to learn in, and some districts were shutting preschool and after-school programs.  Today, such inadequacies are endemic. 

My friend asks, “What evidence could he possibly have in mind?” Good question. There are anecdotes of districts trimming their extra-curricular activities and electives, but where are “classrooms too crowded to learn in”? Who is shutting preschool or after-school programs? Endemic? Really, Mr. Reich?