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Passing Notes
A Newsletter from MBAE December 2008 |
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As 2008 comes to a close, there is a growing understanding of the link between education and our economic well-being. A recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Business Civic Leadership Center on the state of corporate community investment found that education and early childhood development are cited as increasingly important priorities for business investment in the community. The forums and the survey show emphatically that companies are highly aware of education as today's key competitiveness issue. It was the only issue that ranked as a top-tier, key priority issue in every single forum. Participants identified education as important in two important ways: first, school quality is a key factor in trying to attract workers with families to a given community, and second, K-12, and post-secondary educational performance are critically important for supplying a competitive workforce.
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With Best Wishes from everyone at MBAE for a joyous holiday season, we are featuring some reading on key national and state policy issues.
In This Issue
- MBAE Proposes Strategies for Educating a 21st Century Workforce
- 21st Century Skills Task Force Reports to Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Good Scores for Massachusetts on TIMSS and News on Science
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| Educating a 21st Century Workforce |
| A Call to Action on High School Reform |
 All students must graduate from high school with the academic and applied skills necessary for college and career if Massachusetts is to remain competitive in a rapidly changing global economy, according to employers. MBAE's Commission on Educating a 21st Century Workforce issued a report that outlines the connection between education and a strong economy and proposes strategies for high school reform.
Stressing the urgency of raising student achievement and increasing graduation rates, the report calls for changes in the way high schools are structured, our curriculum and system of assessments, and the role of business and community in supporting our schools and our students. One member of MBAE's Commission noted that, "like it or not, students are acting like consumers," disengaging from schools when they fail to see connections between what is being taught in the classroom and their own personal goals and postsecondary plans".
The report also calls for providing more flexibility in time for students to meet high school graduation requirements, noting that some students would benefit from alternatives to the four-year schedule, calling it "sacrosanct but not meaningful". Concluding that our current education system is outdated when it comes to sustaining a knowledge-based economy, the report advance MBAE's goal to accelerate progress on high school reform by identifying approaches that have worked and that have promise for improving educational opportunities for all students.
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| Task Force Issues Recommendations to Prepare All Children for 21st Century |
| "School Reform in the New Millennium" Stirs Debate |
Last April, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education charged a task force, that included MBAE Chairman Rob Richardson of Intel as a member, with developing a set of recommendations that would build on our state's existing high academic standards and integrate 21st century skills and knowledge into our core educational program. Specifically, the task force was asked to identify appropriate standards, assessment tools, measures of accountability and professional development efforts that could lead to successful inclusion of 21st century skills in the education delivered to all students. After a presentation at its November meeting, the Board heard from experts on the topic in December.
This discussion has raised concerns in some quarters that addressing the applied skills that employers and those in higher education have found deficient will lead to diluting or abandoning high standards, as expressed in a Boston Globe op-ed. MBAE's Executive Director joined Rennie Center Executive Director Jill Norton in responding that basics are no longer enough in a Patriot Ledger op-ed. These points were also reiterated in MBAE's testimony at the December Board meeting.
As the debate continues over how to prepare our students for success in a 21st century economy and society, MBAE will continue to advocate for maintaining high core academic standards while adapting to new realities and demands that will ensure a qualified workforce in the future.
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| Good News for Massachusetts - TIMSS Scores |
| Benchmarking Advisory Group Urges Action on Science |
 Massachusetts had good news this month when 4th and 8th graders outscored their national and most of their international peers in math and science on the world's largest study of student performance in those subjects - the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
Our state's 4th graders ranked second worldwide in science achievement and tied for third in mathematics; the state's 8th graders tied for first in science and ranked sixth in mathematics. State leaders lauded this performance while reminding us of the challenges ahead, as Commissioner Mitchell Chester stated, "As wonderful as it is to be at or near the top of the world on an international assessment, our work is far from over."
Meanwhile, leading education experts issued a report offering sweeping recommendations to internationally benchmark educational performance. " Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-class Education" released by the International Benchmarking Advisory Group, provides states a roadmap for benchmarking their K-12 education systems against those of top-performing nations. The report explains the urgent need for action and outlines what states and the federal government must do to ensure U.S. students receive a world-class education that provides expanded opportunities for college and career success. The Advisory Group was convened by three of the nation's leading education policy organizations - the National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers and Achieve, Inc. - and consists of governors, state commissioners of education, representatives from the business community, researchers, former federal officials and current state and local officials. Members from Massachusetts were Thomas Payzant, Professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Mitchell Chester, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. More on TIMSS |
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| MBAE Thanks Our Supporters |
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MBAE's work is made possible by the financial support of generous individuals and -
Abt Associates
AT&T Foundation
Braver
Citizens Bank
Comcast
The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
EMC Corporation
IBM
Intel
Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Pearson
Shields Healthcare Group
Slowey/McManus
TD Banknorth
Verizon
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