I recently had the privilege of attending the school festival at the Millennium Worldwide Academy, a private school operating in South Phoenix. Millennium began as a preschool, but expanded into the early elementary grades as parents pleaded with the school founders to let their children stay in the school.

During the festival, Millennium children displayed a broad and impressive knowledge of science and geography. Students played the violin and recited the states and state capitols.

Ms. Kelmer, the headmaster of the school, announced a game called “Are you Smarter than a Kindergartner?” to be played with “volunteers” from the audience, and I was one of them.

Matched up against a group of young elementary students, I pulled a random question out of a hat. Ms. Kelmer read the question: “Which was the only President to serve two nonconsecutive terms in the White House?”

Unsure of the answer, I watched all of the students raise their hands to answer. “Cleveland,” I said into the microphone.

“Grover Cleveland. Correct. In order, which Presidential terms did Grover Cleveland fill?” Ms. Kelmer asked, upping the ante. Not only did I not have a clue, all of the students raised their hands again. Some were even jumping up and down, anxious to answer.

After sheepishly confessing my ignorance, a kindergartner informed us that Grover Cleveland had been the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.

The kids beat all challengers that night. At the end, Ms. Kelmer asked me “are you smarter than a kindergartner?” To which I had to confess, “I am absolutely not smarter than these kindergartners.”

Ms. Kelmer’s school, operating within the Roosevelt school district, shows that urban schools can achieve at high levels if given the opportunity. I was happy to see that fact demonstrated, even at the cost of a public shaming.

Dr. Matthew Ladner is vice president of research at the Goldwater Institute. Both GRIH and the Goldwater Institute are members of the State Policy Network.