National Center on Education and the Economy - Tough Choices or Tough Times: The Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce

While Tough Choices or Tough Times does a tremendous job in identifying and articulating the challenges we face, what truly sets it apart is the specific and highly innovative policy prescriptions it advocates to reverse the education deficit. I encourage every policymaker, at every level, to read this compelling and comprehensive report. WILLIAM E. KIRWAN, CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND

Tough Choices or Tough Times is must reading for policymakers, educators, businesspeople, and citizens who want America to be prosperous and competitive in the 21st century. The report pulls no punches about the economic threats facing our country. The Commission advances thought-provoking recommendations that should stimulate debate and then galvanize every sector of society to muster the will to ensure that Americas workforce is the best educated and prepared in the world. HUGH PRICE, SENIOR FELLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION, AND FORMER PRESIDENT, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

Tough Choices or Tough Times provides a bold and specific road map for transforming all levels of educationpreschool through postsecondary educationto meet the challenges of a rapidly changing global economy. It calls for massive fundamental change in education structure, curriculum, teacher compensation, and assessment, as well as in the roles of virtually all our education institutions. MIKE KIRST, PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION EMERITUS, STANFORD UNIVERSITY

The steps proposed in Tough Choices or Tough Times will move us dramatically forward, fostering a 21st-century skills development pipeline that meets the needs of working adults, and enables them to engage in the lifelong learning necessary to meet the changing demands of the workplace. MARLENE SELTZER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, JOBS FOR THE FUTURE

The Commission provides a 21st century formula for workforce development: think regional, eliminate structures that no longer serve our needs, and create universal access to quality education and training. JOSEPH CARBONE, PRESIDENT AND CEO, THE WORKPLACE, INC., SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUTS WORKFORCE Developments Board

Efforts at bringing together the three integral components of a successful workforce investment systemeducation, training, and economic developmenthave been haphazard at best. The recommendation to encourage the creation of high level jobs/skills/economic growth authorities with the ability to issue tax exempt bonds holds real promise for the development of a rational, sustainable, and politically supportable system. MARION PINES, DIRECTOR, SAR LEVITAN CENTER, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Anyone who hopes to hold a job in the next several decades should readif not memorizethis extraordinary report. Hopefully the report will motivate our nations leaders to promptly take the steps needed to assure that our nations citizenry can enjoy a decent quality of life in the years ahead. NORMAN R. AUGUSTINE, RETIRED CHAIRMAN AND CEO, LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION, AND CHAIRMAN, THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES COMMITTEE ON PROSPERING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Tough Choices or Tough Times is an exciting vision of a reformed and revitalized American education system. It has many important ideas that should generate considerable debate and are worthy of serious consideration. SUSAN FUHRMAN, PRESIDENT, TEACHERS ColleGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Tough Choices or Tough Times calls into question whether we are willing to invest in the future of Americas workforce. BOB GILOTH, DIRECTOR, FAMILY ECONOMIC SUCCESS, ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION

This penetrating, scary analysis and astute, far-reaching recommendations amount to A Nation at Risk for the next generation, a brave, clear call for top-to-bottom reforms in U.S. education. While overturning plenty of creaky applecarts, Tough Choices sketches a bold and efficient new vehicle for equipping 21st century Americans with the skills and knowledge they will needand that the nation needs. CHESTER E. FINN JR., SENIOR FELLOW, HOOVER INSTITUTION, STANFORD UNIVERSITY, AND PRESIDENT, THOMAS B. FORDHAM FOUNDATION

The Commissions report joins a chorus of voices warning us of the looming consequences facing our nation because of the poor level of preparation of students and members of the workforce. What is different is that this report recommends bold steps for action. To do any less will result only in more half-measures that over time have had too little effect and have left us vulnerable as we face growing competition in a changed world economy. G. WAYNE CLOUGH, PRESIDENT, GEORGIA TECH, AND VICE CHAIRMAN, U.S. COUNCIL ON COMPETITIVENESS

This is a remarkably bold and refreshing report. It is time for us to stop tinkering at the edges of the educational enterprise. What I find most appealing about the Commissions recommendations is that it represents a total overhaul of how we do the business of education. The Commission is telling us that we need to stop rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, reinvest the resources we have, and turn the ship in a new direction. JAMES W. PelleGRINO, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF IlliNOIS AT CHICAGO

The current public education system at the K-12 level is broken. Can it be fixed? This report says no, it has to be replaced. This is more than a wake-up call. It is a call to arms. The reasons to be alarmed are clearly and persuasively documented. Out-of-the-box, stretch recommendations are offered. ALBERT J. SIMONE, PRESIDENT, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

The question this report raises is whether our country has the kind of education system that is needed to maintain Americas standard of living for our children, our grandchildren, and future generations. I very much hope that it will spark the kind of tough, honest debate on that topic that it so richly deserves. RICHARD W. RILEY, FORMER SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION

Bold, inventive, analytic, and piercing, the reports recommendations stand to make a huge difference in how America thinks about and enacts its educational enterprise for allincluding its youngeststudents. SHARON LYNN KAGAN, VIRGINIA & LEONARD MARX PROFESSOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY POLICY, TEACHERS ColleGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, AND CODIRECTOR, THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

This report deals with the critical issue of training and educating the current workforce to meet the competitive challenges of the future and indicates the depth of the changes our nation needs to make to change our culture to one of life-long learning. MORTON BAHR, PRESIDENT EMERITUS, COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA

This report offers a radical new blueprint for making Americas K-12 educational experience more meaningful and effective. Its a fascinating and thought-provoking read that is sure to get the American educational establishment talking. CHARLES B. REED, ChancelloR, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

This report shows how states and professional educators can create efficient, high-performance school systems to educate all students to high standards. RAY Marshall, FORMER SECRETARY OF LABOR, CARTER ADMINISTRATION

A thorough, thoughtful, and timely study. Most important, it goes far beyond the normal conclusions. The recommendations are sweeping and controversial but must be considered seriously as they flow directly from the logic of the study. If not these, what then? HENRY B. SCHACHT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, WARBURG PINCUS LLC

Piecemeal reform of public education in America is insufficient to deliver on the promise that every child will receive an education that leads to a good job, productive life, and responsible citizenship. The