CEDAR FALLS - During an education forum at the University of Northern Iowa, Republican presidential hopeful Sam Brownback said rebuilding the traditional family unit is as important to improving the nation's education system as reforming No Child Left Behind or increasing the number of students in math and science.

The Kansas senator was the first candidate to speak at the 2008 Presidential Candidate Education Forums at UNI, sponsored by the Iowa Business Council, Strong American Schools and Lee Enterprises - The Courier's parent company. Before the Iowa caucuses, every candidate will be invited to the forum.

The senator praised the much-maligned No Child Left Behind legislation for setting measurable performance standards for the nation's schools, but said it must be reformed to allow states to decide how to best spend federal dollars to reach its performance goals.

"Where I think (No Child Left Behind) failed was not giving flexibility to the states," he said.

When the four-person panel asked questions on early childhood education and how to best prepare students for academic achievement, Brownback said rebuilding the traditional family structure - which he defined as a mother, father and child - is as crucial as any government program.

He said social data shows children in two-parent homes are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college and less likely to use drugs or be arrested.

"I think it really is an important discussion that we've not been willing to have as a country," he said.

When asked what he would do to better fund the educational system, from preschool to higher education, Brownback said that responsibility largely falls on the shoulders of local and state governments. However, he said he supported continued funding of federal research grants, and expanding federal students loans and grants to make college more affordable.

Brownback also supported expanding scholarships and loan forgiveness for college students pursuing math and science degrees, which he said is key to increasing the number of Americans in those fields. Panel member Elliot Smith, executive director of the Iowa Business Council, noted the U.S. ranks last among G-8 countries - including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom - in the number of students graduating in the math and sciences.

"We've relied on people from other countries, but I think in the future we can't bank on this. We need to produce more students in the hard sciences," Brownback said.

The senator also touted school vouchers as a way for students to enroll in better-performing schools. He pointed to the success of Hope Scholarships in Washington, D.C., when touting the idea.

"We shouldn't let children stay stuck in a system that fails them," he said.

Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.