I wish it weren’t the case, but the same types of people work in state educational bureaucracies as work in the federal one.
I sometimes think those who think of state agencies as our potential saviors haven’t had much contact with any of them.
Granted. But they’re closer to the voters and the people have a better chance of effecting a change in a state-level bureaucracy than a federal one. (Hence my comment about local control being even better) PLUS, it allows different states to respond to differing priorities in their respective electorates. PLUS, they keep all the tax money received, rather than pay a skim to the Feds (even if they comply with all the dictates). The Feds have to get paid for all that wonderful administrative work!