BY ALLISON MADISON
Like the infrastructure of our nation, the education system in the U.S. is crumbling. Not for a lack of dedication and effort on the part of teachers and administrators, but from a lack of interest and vision from all of us.
Public education has long been something we took for granted; just expecting it to be there, solid and formidable like the Hoover Dam or the Washington Monument. But the process of educating and molding a child into a productive citizen is a long, painstaking one ”“ far longer than the attention span of most Americans ”“ and not suited to quick fixes like filling a pothole on the highway. We need change. And we need everyone to roll up their sleeves and lend a hand.
Whether you are a pragmatic business person, an idealistic humanitarian or concerned patriot, there is good reason for you to be concerned and to get involved. Over the next decade, the demand for educated employees will increase and the supply of educated employees will decrease leading to fierce competition for talent. Adding to the talent scarcity is a demographic shift as the Hispanic labor force grows to 23 percent by 2030. If the tragic education gap between white and Hispanic children persists, the difficulty in finding qualified employees will increase even more. Not to mention the boomer quotient; the most educated generation before or since will be retiring, leaving a void of educated and experienced labor. As a nation, we are losing ground in our ability to compete in the global economy as we lose the education battle. Given that the success of every business hinges on the skills, knowledge and talent of its employees, we are in for a tough fight and we need to prepare now.
Facts:
Ӣ More than half the doctorates awarded in 2010 in key areas such as engineering, math and computer science went to students with temporary visas.
Ӣ Three out of 10 high schoolers drop out before graduation, five out of 10 in urban schools.
Ӣ Based on the PISA exam of 30 industrialized nations, U.S. high schoolers ranked 16th in science and 23rd in math (only four nations scored below the U.S., two tied).
This is not a task to be left to government alone. Big government, by its nature, is incapable of the speed with which we need to act. I believe that we, the people, need to take charge of this nation”™s future through educational reform today. Individuals, community groups and business must get involved through hands-on initiatives in local schools. We all must view ourselves as educators; we all have something we can contribute. Contact your local school and ask what you can do and what organizations you can support. Business owners, we must seek out opportunities to support, mentor and nurture our future employees and business leaders. Let”™s get busy teaching.
Allison Madison is president of Madison Approach Staffing Inc. and CEO of Candid Capture L.L.C. in White Plains. She serves on the board of the Lakeland Education Foundation. She can be reached at conversations@madisonapproach.com.
