Global Competitiveness and Our Schools - Part 2

Over the weekend, I had a chance to participate in several of the sessions of the Hechinger Institute's seminar for journalists on education for a global economy. In particular, I was to speak about political perspectives on what the U.S. must do to compete.

I'd say the very first thing we need to do is wake up to the fact that we've got competition all over the world and that giving our young people the skills they need to compete is the best way for our nation to meet the global competition.

You know, geography used to matter a whole lot more than it does today. We in America used to have an advantage over other countries. Skilled jobs just had to be done in the U.S. Not anymore. Fiber-optic communications cables that reach into virtually every country in the world mean that work can be digitized, just like music, and shipped anywhere in the world.


In a new fact sheet that the ED in 08 staff put together, we say that "the world is flat." What we mean is that the best job opportunities go to the best educated, no matter where they live.


We also quote the National Center on Education and the Economy:

"American workers at every skill level are in direct competition with workers in every corner of the globe."

That's a scary thought.


In fact, we as a nation are losing ground. Other countries are seizing this opportunity and improving the skills of their workers.


Less than 10 years ago, we ranked first in percentage of 25-34 year olds with a bachelor's degree, but by 2004 we had dropped to fifth place. And between 2000 and 2004, the U.S. was one of only two countries (out of 24) that showed no increase in bachelor's degree attainment.


We once had the best high school graduation rate in the world. Now we rank 19th out of 26 countries.


We can't go on this way, and that's one political imperative that drives the ED in 08 campaign. We have to wake up. Our political leaders have to wake up. Our presidential candidates have to grab the bull by the horns and show true leadership on this issue.