National Association of Manufacturers president John Engler warned that current education achievement scores are “disheartening,” and that high school curriculum needs to be reformed to better prepare the next generation of workers.
“Industry is the end-user of our education system,” Engler said.stCentury workforce are just those that our graduates are having the hardest time achieving — math, reading and science.”
Two national report cards showed that while high school graduates are taking more challenging courses and earning higher grades during high school, it did not translate to better achievement scores on the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress .
“In a global marketplace, our economy and way of life hinge on our ability to remain competitive — and that takes smart minds, skilled workers and innovative thinkers,” Engler added.
On a positive note, Engler added that “business has long understood that what we measure gets better. That is why I am here today — to be a part of this critical discussion and to help point our schools toward the right path.”
