Even though we had had a team that had worked for years researching and designing the school for no money, we were told that none of them could be hired because union rules dictated who and when we could hire.

CNN: Commentary: Good schools aren't only for rich kids

Now what about the state of public services, I would, I would roughly put it like this, I think in schools people do see real improvement, in primary schools there's no doubt about it, we've had the best primary school results by a long way this country's ever seen.

BBC: NEWS | Programmes | Breakfast with Frost | Economy is key battleground

We launched a project for a struggling school in Philadelphia at Feltonville Intermediate, whose library had shelves, but no books.

WHITEHOUSE: Helping Youth at Home and Abroad