Democrats are almost certain to leave their convention in Denver united behind Senator Barack Obama of Illinois as their nominee for president. However, it is less likely that they will settle an intraparty disagreement over the most pressing question in K-12 education policy: How much can the public expect of schools? The stark differences emerged the week after Senator Obama secured enough delegates to claim the nomination in June. On back-to-back days, two groups released public statements outlining approaches for improving K-12 achievement. One argued that policymakers need to invest in health care and other social programs before schools can deliver large increases in student achievement, while the other said that increased accountability, the expansion of charter schools, and other education policies would result in better student outcomes. The debate over education policy and its priorities is unlikely to play a prominent role in the fall campaign because education policy issues have not been a top-tier concern of voters this year. However, the statements do illuminate the differences among Democrats that will arise once the next president takes office and Congress returns to its effort to reauthorize the NCLB law.