While drafting the Declaration of Independence the founders wove in words near and dear to American hearts. The phrase “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” is known to every child as the unalienable rights given to us as Americans. But, there is another thing that the founders had the forethought to weave throughout this document; it’s the concept of accountability.
I couldn't help but think as I was sitting in a packed conference room at the Business Civic Leadership Center’s (BCLC) national conference last week, that it's amazing we still have an education problem in this country. BCLC gathered corporate social responsibility professionals in Atlanta for a discussion on how to address some of the greatest challenges facing America today―and public education is certainly one of the toughest. But with so many companies, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and policy institutions all committed to improving our public education system; shouldn’t we be making more progress?
There’s a lot of talk in Washington these days about Pell Grants. Both the House Majority and the White House have added their two cents on the future of the low-income student grant program, though it is still a guessing game whether either of the plans will move forward.
Twenty-nine years ago, A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform alerted the U.S. about the grim outlook of the public education system. President Reagan’s commission that authored the report included the following statement in a letter sent to then-Secretary of Education Terrel Bell: “Our purpose has been to help define the problems afflicting American education and to provide solutions, not search for scapegoats." That sentiment still holds true.
What does Tennessee have that many other states do not? How about a reform-minded Governor and state chief and an engaged business community committed to student achievement. In 2007, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released Leaders & Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness that gave Tennessee an ‘F’ on Academic Achievement of Low-Income and Minority Students and an ‘F’ on Truth in Advertising about Student Proficiency.
From April 16-18, an array of national thought leaders from the business community and civil society will address the positive ways business makes a difference at BCLC’s National Conference, in Atlanta.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently co-hosted a convening of business and chamber leaders to discuss the pivotal role business plays in higher education reform. During the conversation, it became clear that communicating needs from employers to higher education is more difficult than it seems and many details get lost in translation.
In 2010, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) reported a four year graduation rate of a mere 52%. The same year, 18 major Los Angeles institutions including the Los Angeles Unified School District, the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and local institutions of higher education formed the L.A. Compact. The partners identify pressing education issues, and work together to leverage resources to execute solutions with a measurable impact.
On March 12, the White House announced a new proposal that seeks to merge parts of the Workforce Investment Act and the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. The new program, dubbed the “Universal Dislocated Worker Program” (UDWP), would provide job search assistance, training, and other benefits for up to a million dislocated workers.
The United States' failure to educate its students leaves them unprepared to compete and threatens the country's ability to thrive in a global economy and maintain its leadership role, finds the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) report, U.S. Education Reform and National Security. This event will link the business community and their commitment to improving the education system with the global security issues that have been identified.
ICW will be releasing Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Public Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.