Gov. Heineman Welcomes Achieve President Michael Cohen to Nebraska

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today welcomed Michael Cohen, President of Achieve, Inc. to Nebraska. Cohen leads a bipartisan education organization working with states to advance education excellence in the United States. He is scheduled to meet with several state education groups and policymakers.

Created by the nation’s governors and business leaders, Achieve helps advocate for improvements in education that help American students compete and prosper in college and their future careers.  Earlier this year, Gov. Heineman agreed to serve on the Achieve Board of Directors.

“Working with Achieve presents an opportunity to talk with other states about their reform efforts and get input from business leaders on their needs when it comes to hiring graduates with the right skills and training,” Gov. Heineman said. “I’m pleased this visit provides an opportunity for Michael to meet and visit with many of Nebraska’s educational leaders.”

Cohen is meeting with members of Nebraska’s P-16 Initiative, rural superintendents, and officials with the Nebraska Department of Education and the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.

Achieve advocates for higher academic standards and is among the partners working with governors, assessment groups and education leaders to establish common standards for math and English. Nearly every state has signed on to the Common Core State Standards initiative.

Achieve is also involved in efforts to increase high school graduation rates through its American Diploma Project, which strives to align high school expectations with the demands of college and careers in order to help high school graduates better prepare for college and their future careers.

At the 2005 National Education Summit, Achieve launched the American Diploma Project Network, a coalition that now includes Nebraska and 34 other states and reaches nearly 85 percent of U.S. public school students.