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Past Initiatives

K-16 Education Reform (2001)

The Business-HigherEducation Forum established the K–16 Task Force to recommend actions that could improve schooling, from pre-kindergarten through graduate school, to enable U.S. students and the American workforce to succeed in the new economy. The Task Force recognized the growing consensus supporting standards-based reform. Noting that such reforms are too often inconsistently implemented, the Task Force concluded that the extraordinary challenge of helping all children learn at high levels also demands an increased share of responsibility by business, higher education, and others, both inside and outside the public school system. Such an approach requires these sectors to work cooperatively to align improvement efforts behind strategies developed by all stakeholders.

The Forum's broad-based K-16 Task Force was co-chaired by Charles B. Reed, Chancellor of the California State University, and Paul W. Chellgren, former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ashland Inc.

In conducting its work, the Task Force studied reports on education improvement and partnerships; surveyed higher education and business leaders; and conducted numerous interviews and meetings with leaders of K-12 public schools, higher education, and business. Several key themes emerged in this dialogue:

  • First: The coordination of efforts and collaboration is an essential strategy in designing, supporting, and sustaining systemic education improvement.
  • Second: Partnership efforts should focus more clearly on issues directly related to boosting student achievement.
  • Third: Partnerships themselves should be held more accountable for the results of their efforts.
  • Fourth: Increased higher education involvement in a broad array of K–16 issues is necessary.

These themes, as well as corresponding case studies, are described in a 2001 report, Sharing Responsibility: How Leaders in Business and Higher Education Can Improve America's Schools (pdf). The report identifies the essential elements for effective collaboration among the business, higher education and K-12 education organizations and demonstrates that student achievement has been enhanced by all three sectors working together. However, strong commitment by all parties continues to be needed to strengthen our education system's ability to face the challenges of a global economy.