Summit on linking secondary education to workforce and economic development
January 13, 2012 - Leaders of education, business and government met last week to tackle a big challenge: How to strengthen and scale up the type of innovation underway in a growing number of North Carolina secondary schools aimed at ensuring that all students graduate with the skills needed to succeed in college, careers and life.
The daylong forum, opened by former Gov. Jim Hunt, launched a planning effort by the North Carolina New Schools Project to map out a strategy for helping to transform schools and districts around a common goal of strong preparation for all students, supported by powerful teaching and learning and high expectations for all.
"I want you to make these changes happen," Hunt urged the forum participants. "We've got to go all the way."
The meeting was co-sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York, which is helping lead efforts nationally to strengthen education in science and mathematics. Michele Cahill, vice president for national programs and director of urban education for Carnegie, told the group that sweeping changes in the economy demand transformation of schools and the educational system.
"The futures of young people are tied more to their education than ever before," Cahill said. "Most of the jobs being created not only require greater levels of postsecondary education but also the kind of knowledge that comes from STEM education."
Cahill, who as a New York City school district leader helped open 200 new small high schools, said the greatest challenge for education reform is making lasting change at the system level, whether that's a city the size of New York or a state such as North Carolina.
"How do we take and mobilize reform to the transformative level?" Cahill asked. "Not only good schools - a pretty big challenge itself. The challenge is to create systems of good schools."
She said that schools must truly focus on the needs of students, particularly by providing access to strong instruction in science and math, and by being "porous" with the community to build effective and accountable partnerships with businesses and other organizations that can provide relevant connections for students.
Forum participants offered recommendations to the NC New Schools Projects about two new initiatives the organization is launching in partnership with the state to expand transformation of a larger scale: the development of networks of schools that share a common STEM focus, such as health and life sciences, and the application of early college strategies in traditional high schools located in rural, low-income communities.
The forum, part of NCNSP's Vision 2015 strategic planning effort, was also hosted by the James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy, The Opportunity Equation, and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch video from the event. Check our Facebook page for photos from the day. And follow #Vision2015 for Twitter feed from the meeting.
