October 8 , 2007
Dear Fellow Nebraskans:
There are many exciting things happening in Nebraska right now. My focus this month is that it’s time for everyone with a stake in Nebraska’s future success to get involved in helping today’s students take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them.
During the past two weeks, I’ve spoken at several events aimed at engaging parents more fully in their children’s academic success. I signed a proclamation declaring October as parental involvement in education month in Nebraska, and I will be speaking at a conference on that topic in just a few weeks.
I’ve also had the opportunity to visit with students at several schools across the state about the importance of pursuing a college education. This summer I was joined by other educational leaders in launching Nebraska’s Know How 2 Go campaign, which is focused on helping middle and high school students plan ahead for college. We’re now in the midst of a statewide tour to promote Know How 2 Go, with stops in Falls City, Kearney, and Ogallala. Other stops are planned for later this month.
Educational efforts such as this are important in getting out the message that every student needs at least some of the training and advanced education a college program can provide. The technical demands and fast pace of innovation in the business world mean students stand to benefit much more in whatever career they pursue if they commit the time and energy to pursue a higher education degree.
Nebraska has a high school graduation rate of more than 80 percent, one of the highest in the nation. Our state is a leader in terms of the number of students taking the ACT. Collectively, Nebraska students have the highest average ACT score among states where more than 75 percent of students take the test.
We are slightly above the national average when it comes to the number of high school graduates that go onto college. We can and we must do better.
One year ago, I issued a challenge to education leaders across the state to help us increase the college-going rate here in Nebraska. I’ve challenged everyone connected with education to help us increase Nebraska’s college attendance rate. Our goal is to be a top five state regarding the college going rate. Meeting this goal requires greater focus and greater individual attention to motivate, encourage and inspire students to attend college.
I’ve had the privilege of getting to know many of the staff and faculty at Nebraska’s colleges and universities over the years. I know that each and every campus is committed to providing a good education that will help graduates compete and thrive in today’s changing economy.
Our challenge is to encourage our students to set high academic goals for themselves. For parents, we need to ensure that our sons and daughters understand the value and importance of a college education.
I am very excited about the direction we are heading because of the combined efforts of our educational institutions, parent groups and others involved in this effort.
We need to ensure that each student in Nebraska graduates, having gained a solid foundation upon which to build a lifetime of learning. I know we are making progress and I look forward to working closely with parents and schools to boost student achievement.
