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AEP Online |
National Governors Association Joins Call for American CompetitivenessOn August 7, 2006, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano announced her agenda as the new chair of the National Governors Association. Dubbed "Innovation America," her Chair’s Initiative aims to provide needed leadership and garner the resources necessary to increase the numbers of math and science majors graduating from U.S. universities. Questions about the ability of the U.S. to maintain its leadership in science, math and technology were brought to light in a 2005 report from the National Academy of Sciences. Napolitano's year long initiative, to be guided by a bi-partisan task force of governors, business leaders and university presidents, proposes the following goals and activities: * raise national awareness of the urgent need to embrace innovation as the U.S. path to maintaining competitiveness; * share examples of best practices and provide a "tool box" of effective policies and strategies; * present each governor with an economic profile specific to their state, including high growth innovation centers on science and math proficiencies; * host regional learning labs and workshops to help states improve education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math; and * create new science and math academies to improve student achievement and grow a workforce in emerging occupations. Arizona is well known for its investment in technology; in 2005 Empire High School became the first school in the nation to move to an all-digital curriculum. In 2001, the state opened Arizona Virtual Academy, a charter high school for students who want to pursue a technology-based education. The state was also one of the first to sponsor a digital professional development tracking program for it's teachers. At another meeting held this week, a panel of U.S. government, academic, and aerospace experts convened in San Diego to discuss the nation's competitiveness on the global level. The panel concluded that U.S. culture no longer values math and science. Low teacher salaries are not attracting talent in those subjects, and the economic shift into service jobs combined with the expense of achieving advanced degrees in those subjects is driving students into other areas like financial services and internet technology. These conclusions and initiatives - as well as President Bush’s American Competitiveness Initiative and the emphasis on Scientifically Based research in education - reflect the developing national emphasis on addressing this perceived crisis.
Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 856-241-7772. |
"New
NGA boss pushes school, tech reforms" "Experts
at S.D. meeting cite other nations' advances"
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