March 12, 2007
Dear Fellow Nebraskans:
I wanted to take this opportunity to provide an update on the discussion and ideas presented during this year’s National Governors Association winter meeting in Washington, D.C. Twice a year the nation’s governors gather to discuss the issues that are of mutual concern for all states. These events are typically a great opportunity to meet with other governors and discuss issues.
One of the most important issues we tackled at this year’s winter meeting was how to ensure that America remains at the forefront of innovation in the midst of a changing global economy. We know that we need to continue advancing our national competitiveness to achieve continued economic growth and much of our discussion focused on what we, as governors, can do to inspire positive change in our home states.
This year, governors are embracing a policy initiative known as Innovation America, which focuses on advancing areas that are critical to our future success. One such area is the need to develop increased student proficiency in core subjects such as math and science, while also equipping students with problem-solving skills.
In today’s marketplace, technology is being integrated across all sectors of our economy, and new discoveries and technological advances will only increase in the years to come. To remain competitive in a rapidly evolving economy, states must encourage development of industries that rely on innovation for future growth while also working to strengthen the education we provide for students preparing to work in this changing environment.
While reading and writing will always play a central role in any child’s educational development, courses in science, technology, engineering and math will be at the forefront in advancing innovation required to remain competitive in a global economy.
Curiosity, imagination and a passion for learning are the qualities that will drive new innovations. In order to help students succeed in this changing environment, we need every parent, every teacher, school and community in our state working together to ensure that we inspire a love of learning in every student.
There is also a much broader challenge facing education. We must ensure that our students can compete with those growing up in countries around world – particularly in developing countries such as China and India.
I’ve asked Nebraska’s K-12 leaders, our community and state colleges, the University of Nebraska, private educational institutions, and business leaders to help develop solutions to the challenges that have an impact on advancing innovation and competitiveness.
Finding ways to increase the college-going rate for students in our state, encouraging greater parental involvement in the educational process, and strengthening academic rigor are just some of the issues we hope to address in order to ensure that the education we provide students in Nebraska remains competitive on a national and international scale.
Our goal for building a dynamic economy for the 21st Century should be about generating ideas that result in new business development for products and services that can be shared with consumers here at home and around the world.
My goal is to ensure that Nebraska is ready to meet and compete in this changing environment and that Nebraska students are given the skills they need to lead the way in this new economy. Our state is already a strong performer in this arena and I have confidence that we can continue making improvements in the years to come.
