One stack of articles on my desk talks about the number of states with growing deficits and hard choices to make, while the second stack contains dozens of white papers and wish lists that education organizations have sent to the new administration, outlining priority actions. If your head is spinning as a result of what appears to be a chasm between what is needed and what is possible, you're not alone. (Alexandria, Va., recently hired an "ethicist" to advise the City Council and staff on how to make tough choices when faced with budget shortfalls.)
When the education pie is smaller, making tough choices becomes essential. I believe we have the data to support the assertion that an investment in education is an investment in the economic health of our nation.
A recent report by the National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, and Achieve, Inc., Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World Class Education, makes a powerful case for the importance of continuing to invest in our nation's future through our education system. The report calls on state leaders, with support and incentives from the federal government, to benchmark our education system against the best in the world—not just to compare results or set higher performance targets but to learn how other nations achieve their results and change our own practices.
Education = economic growth. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that a nation's economic output increases by 3 to 6 percent for each additional year of education in its adult population. With manufacturing jobs in decline, a nation's human capital is the source of its productivity; therefore, investing in that capital as a national priority will pay huge dividends.
In the past 30 years, the percentage of adults with a secondary education has remained close to constant in the United States, at approximately 88 percent, while Korea's has jumped from 37 percent to 97 percent. Brazil, Germany, Mexico, and Singapore are other countries that have deliberately made education a national priority. Can the United States make the same commitment to increasing student achievement?
With strong leadership at the local, state, and national levels, and a steadfast focus on the right priorities, I believe we can learn from our global colleagues and use the best of what they do, shaping it for our students. If the education pie is temporarily smaller, it becomes even more important to use resources wisely. Because highly qualified teachers are a critical factor in student success, we must continue to invest in professional development. Because 21st century skills like problem-solving and critical analysis are important for our students, instruction and assessment should emphasize those skills.
If we are strategic and proactive, no one need go hungry.