Dear Friends,
As the world continues to shift to a knowledge-based economy that touches virtually every nation in the world and makes for a more competitive landscape, it is more imperative than ever that we prepare our students for the challenges ahead.
Once a leader in education, the U.S. has clearly fallen behind and is leaving many of our students unprepared to compete. The report, “Achievement Growth: International and U.S. State Trends in Student Performance,” released this summer by Harvard’s Program on Education Policy and Governance & Education Next, ranked the U.S. 25th out of 49 countries in student test-score gains.
A number of states, however, have taken steps and have made significant strides in recent years. The report, which examined state trends in student achievement growth using National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math, reading and science data from 1992 to 2011, ranked Florida (2nd) and two Chiefs for Change states – Louisiana (5th) and New Jersey (7th) – in the top 10 in test-score gains. Though we should celebrate the gains made by individual states, it is important that we refocus our efforts as a nation. In this post-election climate, we must put aside our differences and come together in order to prepare every student, regardless of income or zip code, for the jobs of tomorrow.
The policies and practices that will improve the quality of education and better prepare students for success is the focus of the fifth annual Excellence in Action National Summit on Education Reform. This year’s event will include a conversation with former U.S. secretary of state, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and former New York City schools chancellor, Joel I. Klein. These leaders will expand on the findings of the task force they co-chaired for the Council on Foreign Relations, which concluded that “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.”
The time is now to put our students first; our nation’s security and global standing depend on it.
Sincerely,
Patricia Levesque
Executive Director
Foundation for Excellence in Education
UPDATE: The Foundation for Excellence in Education today announced U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will deliver a breakfast keynote address for the fifth annual Excellence in Action National Summit on Education Reform. This keynote will take place at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC, Nov. 28.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, they have reached maximum capacity for the Summit, and registration is closed. Please know all keynote speeches and general sessions will be streamed live on the Internet at http://www.excelined.org/everywhere and all strategy sessions will be filmed and available after the event. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah@ExcelinEd.org.