Photo by L-Squared.

Mayor Adrian Fenty and challenger Vincent Gray square off in this Sunday’s Washington Post, with competing op-ed pieces describing their vision for District’s future. The pieces, which are available online now, highlight the the themes of their respective campaigns. There are no real surprises here, Fenty focuses on results, especially with regard to education. Gray argues that things could be done even better, in a more inclusive way, with more transparency.

More than half of Fenty’s piece focuses on education reform. The mayor touts the improvement of the system, highlighting “the progress we have made in transforming our schools from a symbol of dysfunction into a national model for education reform.” Fenty makes it clear there is a lot of work to be done, but insists that his leadership, and that of schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee is vital. Fenty also touches on the reduction of crime during his term, as well as the improvement of operations at other government agencies.

Also not surprising, Fenty continues to show some humility, recognizing that some have been turned-off by his governing style. He wraps up his piece with:

We laid a great foundation during my first term, but there is so much left to do. In many ways the challenges that lie before us in the next term are the same ones we faced in the first. Like any leader, I have made my share of mistakes, and I’ve learned some valuable lessons. You have my promise that I will continue these aggressive reforms with a more inclusive approach and an even greater urgency to deliver for our residents. What I will never do is go back to the ways of the past. The great pace of improvement that we have begun must continue.