Education for a New Economy

Statement

For our country to remain competitive in the new global economy, we must fundamentally change public education in this country, and focus on preparing our students for the new economy. As a former superintendent, I understand that our current education system is not getting the job done. We are not successfully preparing students for college or well-paid jobs. However, our economy is producing jobs for college graduates and shedding them for high school dropouts.

Across America 1.2 million children drop out of high school each year. Globally we rank 20th among industrialized nations for high school graduation rates. Forty years ago we were first.

Seventy percent of our country's 8th graders can't read at grade level.

These outcomes are completely unacceptable. We can't be willing to accept the odds for America's kids that we would not accept for our own kids. We need a new approach built on proven, innovative models that drive student achievement, support quality teaching, and prepare our kids for the new economy.

In Colorado, we have a long way to go but we have made significant progress. I invited Education Secretary Arne Duncan to town last week to meet with Colorado leaders in education to see, first-hand, the great work rural and urban school districts are doing to improve outcomes for our kids. He said what I already know, that Colorado can lead the way on public education reform and serve as a model for the rest of the country to follow.

Washington needs to learn from Colorado commonsense reforms. We've let this issue linger for far too long. Now's the time to put politics aside and make education reform a top priority. Our ability to compete in the new economy depends on it, and our kids can't afford to wait any longer.

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