February 28, 2005

I write to you this week as I prepare to attend the National Governors Association (NGA) winter meeting in Washington, D.C. This will be a great opportunity to work with other governors and discuss issues of mutual concern for all states.

As a nation, we have many difficult issues to face in the coming years. I’ve asked Nebraskans to join me in a statewide discussion, with the hope that we can begin to set priorities that will set a course for future stability and success as a state. It is also important to hear from other leaders in order to gain new insight and perspective on the challenges we all face. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to meet with other state and federal leaders, as well as President Bush and several members of his Cabinet during the NGA meeting.

Forums on a number of topics are scheduled, including the potential impact of information technology on the quality and efficiency of our nation’s health system; the importance of economic development tax incentives in attracting new businesses and jobs; Medicaid reform; energy production and pricing; as well as innovation in early childhood education.

In addition, a two-day summit on national education in high schools has been scheduled to coincide with this meeting. Education is a top priority of my administration so I am eager to join my fellow governors in taking a closer look at our high school education system. I am very proud of the quality of public education in Nebraska, but I believe we have an obligation to continually assess whether our system is meeting 21st Century education needs.

I have invited Senator Ron Raikes of Lincoln, chair of the Legislature’s Education Committee, to join me at the summit. It will not only bring governors together, but top business executives and leaders in both K-12 and higher education to examine whether our students are well-prepared to meet the demands of today’s changing economy.

Previous summits on education have helped create momentum and support for raising academic standards and performance in our nation’s schools. Issues on the agenda for this summit include strengthening requirements for rigorous coursework, bringing colleges and universities together with K-12 education to set common expectations, improving teacher and principal leadership, and expanding options and support for students to achieve high standards.

This summit is a terrific opportunity to share new ideas with policy-makers and education experts from across the country with the hope that we can make a good system even better. It is a chance to have an honest conversation about how to best prepare our children and grandchildren for success.

It is clear to me that our state and others are facing similar issues. The economic downturn of a few years ago hit most states very hard and we are all confronting the everyday realities of ensuring the safety and protection of every community in a new age of threats to our national security.

Working together with leaders from other states can only help us to better understand these challenges and move forward as one nation. I look forward to reporting back on the discussion and ideas presented during this year’s education summit and NGA meeting.