RD86 - Education Commission of the States 2006 Annual Report


Executive Summary:
The need to accelerate change and improvement at all levels of public education – from preschool through high school to postgraduate study and adult job-training programs – is clear and increasingly urgent. The strength of our economy and workforce, our capacity to spur research and innovation, the vitality of our communities and institutions – all depend on steadily growing the number and range of our citizens prepared for living, working and learning in a “flat” world.

For more than 40 years, ECS has both symbolized and sustained states’ historic commitment to working together to improve public education. It remains a unique and vital mechanism for helping them share information, ideas and lessons learned about reform and restructuring; create policy environments that promote improvement and innovation; and think, plan and invest their resources more strategically. This annual report describes the valuable contributions of ECS to policymakers in 2006.

Now more than ever, whether you view the world as flat or mountainous terrain, education nurtures responsible citizens and enables them to navigate increasingly complicated and challenging global pathways. The rehabilitation of America’s education system offers no magic bullet or quick-fix solution. But our attention to the heavy-lifting for upgrading our schools and curriculum and stimulating world-class teaching is critical. We must innovate and adapt... or risk the digression of America to second-class world standing as a nation and an economy.

This past year at ECS we were focused on fundamentals:

* Restoring the fiscal health of ECS
* Examining our resources and rebalancing for better efficiency and productivity
* Engaging constituents via dialogue and listening for improved relevance of the ECS value proposition
* Shifting from an information “collection and protection” institution... to a transparent and user-friendly organization of “connecting and projecting”
* Re-examining the purpose and mission of ECS based on constituent feedback and the collective guidance of our diverse stakeholders.