Applying the educational experiences of Arizona as a backdrop, this opinion paper discusses, quite broadly, reform of public education. In Arizona, academic standards have been judged the best in the nation by the Fordham Foundation; to measure academic progress, the state uses only the Stanford 9 test; there has been public school open enrollment for more than 20 years; charters for public charter schools are granted by the state, not the local district; and tax credits are allowed for taxpayers who contribute to organizations that provide scholarships. This paper, written from the perspective of a practicing state superintendent of instruction, begins with a definition of public education: "A public education is that education which is defined by clear academic goals, is regularly measured, and with standards that are achieved." Among the opinions expressed are the following: (1) Children should be free to choose the public schools they want to attend; (2) people fret too much about how much money educators earn; (3) the school-district-based system (local control) needs reforming; (4) children fail because of unrealistic educational expectations; and (5) teacher performance is an important factor in student success. (WFA)