McCain: McCain does not generally support a large federal role in education and spending. He originally supported the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind Act, but has since expressed reservations about it.

McCain supports charter schools, home schooling, and school vouchers. He has also said he would allocate $250 million to support states that commit to expanding online education opportunities.

On Sex Education
McCain supports abstinence-only programs for school-aged children. He doesn't specifically address the comprehensive programs, but has unequivocally opposed Democratic efforts to eliminate public funding for abstinence only programs.

Quote: "We need more charter schools. We need vouchers where it's approved by the local, state school boards. We need to have, clearly, home schooling if people want that … We need to reward good teachers and find bad teachers another line of work."

Obama: The senator supports federal assistance for higher teacher pay, extended summer school, and increased student aid for college. He believes merit-based pay for teachers is good only if teachers themselves support it.

He believes the No Child Left Behind Act was correct but did not fulfill its promises. He proposes reforming the law, by increasing its funding, improving its assessment for tracking student progress, and addressing other flaws in the law.

On Sex Education
On sex education in schools, Obama supports age-appropriate sex education for children in an effort to protect them from predators. He says a child's knowledge of the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching is crucial to keeping them safe.

Quote: "Our education system is not keeping up with the demands of an information society. We've got to revamp our education system."