Coalition Press Releases
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Jennifer Handt Rebecca Wilder
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Business Roundtable and U.S. Chamber Kick Off New Business Coalition and Issue Recommendations for No Child Left Behind Reauthorization
Effort Seeks Swift Renewal with Stronger Provisions
Washington, DC – The Business Coalition for Student Achievement, representing business leaders from every sector of the U.S. economy, today issued a set of recommendations to improve and strengthen the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act during reauthorization this year. The new U.S. business community effort is coordinated by Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and is co-chaired by Craig R. Barrett, Chairman of Intel; Arthur F. Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc.; and Edward B. Rust Jr., Chairman and CEO of State Farm. The release of the recommendations was part of the coalition’s official launch, which took place today on Capitol Hill to urge reauthorization this year. The event highlighted the U.S. business community’s commitment to improving the performance of the K-12 education system in the United States and to maximizing student achievement nationwide.
“No Child Left Behind provides a solid foundation for improving U.S. education by focusing on increased accountability for the performance of all students,” said Ryan, who spoke at today’s event. “Improving U.S. student achievement is a critical need for our nation’s competitiveness and for individuals to succeed in our rapidly changing world.”
In its framework of recommendations for NCLB reauthorization, the Business Coalition for Student Achievement urges lawmakers to focus on college and workplace readiness; emphasize science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); enhance data-driven decision making; increase teacher and principal effectiveness; strengthen and refine accountability; and invest in school improvement and encourage innovation.
“We recognize that No Child Left Behind plays an important role in helping the United States to continue preparing students to compete in the 21st century global economy,” said Barrett. “No Child Left Behind’s most significant contribution has been the public reporting of achievement data for all groups of students and holding schools accountable for raising the achievement of all groups. This disclosure not only made the achievement gap transparent, it also made it impossible to ignore.”
When the No Child Left Behind Act was first introduced in 2001, the business community also was actively involved in advocating for and promoting the law’s initial passage. “This landmark legislation has made significant inroads into improving the nation’s education system, and we are committed to building upon that success,” said Rust. “It is essential that we take steps now to strengthen No Child
Left Behind and ensure that all students graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and the 21st century workplace.”
For more information about the Business Coalition for Student Achievement, visit biz4achievement.org.
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The Business Coalition for Student Achievement – representing business leaders from every sector of the economy – is committed to supporting policies that improve the performance of the K-12 education system in the United States. The Coalition is co-chaired by Craig R. Barrett, Chairman of Intel; Arthur F. Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc.; and Edward B. Rust Jr., Chairman and CEO of State Farm, and is coordinated by Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
