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As the organizations representing the presidents of America's leading research universities and the chief executive officers of America's leading companies, the Association of American Universities and Business Roundtable recognize that the United States' continued global competitiveness depends on developing, attracting and retaining top international science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) talent. International students, scientists and engineers help drive cutting-edge research and development, fill job openings in critical STEM fields, advance national security and bolster the U.S. economy by generating new domestic startups and businesses. To ensure that America's doors remain open to international talent, this report highlights the importance of the international talent pipeline and examines the symbiotic relationship between academic institutions in the United States and the business community. The report shows the many ways that international talent bolsters our nation's economy and our innovation ecosystem; details the challenges to attracting and retaining international talent that exist throughout the U.S. immigration system; highlights the increasing competition we face from other countries in terms of attracting and retaining international talent; and presents public policy recommendations to ensure that the United States continues to attract the world's best and brightest.

In 2018, BHEF and the Business Roundtable joined forces to create the Workforce Partnership Initiative (WPI). The initiative invited Business Roundtable CEOs to form multi-company partnerships and connect with leaders of postsecondary institutions to meet regional workforce needs. Dozens of CEOs responded, and the JPMorgan Chase Foundation awarded BHEF a grant to support nine WPI projects around the country. These case studies cover five of the nine partnerships: Chicago, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia, North Carolina, New York City, and the Southeast. The publication details the highly tailored educational and work-based learning opportunities created as part of the initiative, along with the unlikely partnerships and new curricula and apprenticeships.

America faces many challenges in working together to restore the promise of economic growth and security for the country, U.S. families and the American worker. The challenges are both real and serious. Despite hopeful signs of economic recovery, America remains mired in the deepest jobs crisis since the 1930s. One out of every 12 Americans who are willing and able to work cannot find a job. Approximately 13 million Americans remain unemployed. Frustrated and discouraged, millions more have simply given up looking for work altogether. To be sure, the severe job losses experienced during the depths of the 2007-2009 recession have ended, and the unemployment rate fell from 9.4 percent in December 2010 to 8.5 percent in December 2011. But vigorous and sustained job creation has not returned at the level required to put America back to work, and the numbers of long-term unemployed remain at record levels. The CEOs of Business Roundtable (BRT) have a plan to revitalize U.S. economic growth and job creation. They believe that America's business leaders have an obligation to bring their real-world experience on economic matters to public policy, especially in a time of widespread joblessness and economic distress. Job creation depends on economic growth, which cannot occur unless businesses are free to innovate, invest and grow. "Taking Action for America" is a comprehensive plan to jump-start new business investment and knock down barriers to economic growth. It includes pragmatic, actionable recommendations organized into three broad categories: (1) American Global Leadership, which must be secured through: (a) sound fiscal policy; (b) smarter regulation; and (c) competitive taxation; (2) American Advantages, which depend on: (a) open markets for international trade and investment; (b) reliable, affordable energy; (c) protecting U.S. technology assets with effective cybersecurity; and (d) contributions of highly educated world talent; and (3) American Workers and Families, who deserve policies that promote: (a) a skilled, prepared workforce; (b) affordable, quality health care; and (c) stable policies that ensure retirement security. Individual sections contain endnotes.

The United States is at a critical juncture. The deep recession and weak economic recovery have left one in 10 American workers without a job, and the federal budget is driving the country's debt to unprecedented levels. Business Roundtable believes that the nation's business community, the White House and Congress must work together to encourage the investment and innovation necessary to restore the nation's economic growth. This Roadmap for Growth details the organization's recommended action plan. (Contains 13 endnotes.)

By providing an affordable way to build and maintain a knowledgeable and skilled workforce, noncredit courses add value to people and their communities. Still, government leaders and other decisionmakers want to know: Exactly how much value do they add? Who benefits? What is the return on investment? Which programs are most effective and most cost-effective? And of course, how can these programs be improved? This white paper proposes the first steps to provide the answers decisionmakers want and community colleges need. Appendices include: (1) Testing the Activity Measure and Framework at Two Colleges: Macomb Community College and LaGuardia Community College; and (2) Members of the Research Team. A bibliography is included. (Contains 5 endnotes.)

Business Roundtable (BRT) and Corporate Voices for Working Families (CVWF) believe federal and state efforts to develop early care and education systems for children birth through age five must be based on a set of guiding Principles that define the components of a successful system and high-quality programs. These Principles draw on current early childhood research, lessons from K-12 education reform efforts and applicable lessons from the nation's experience in building a voluntary system of higher education. The six Principles presented in this paper are interconnected; they are not listed in priority order. BRT, CVWF and others will use these Principles to assess existing early education programs; consider philanthropic priorities; evaluate policy proposals on prekindergarten, Head Start and other programs; and formulate policy positions. These principles are: (1) Learning; (2) Standards; (3) Teachers; (4) Parents; (5) Accountability; and (6) Partnerships. Supporting research is appended. A bibliography is included.

This report presents an update of the progress of Tapping America's Potential (TAP), a coalition of 15 of the nation's leading business organizations, and assesses three years' progress since 2005 in working towards the goal of doubling the number of students earning bachelor's degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by 2015. The report finds that since the initial TAP report that was issued three years ago, 2002-2006 data have become available that show U.S. STEM bachelor's degrees awarded in that period fall short of what will be required to reach 400,000 by 2015. While the number of STEM degrees awarded has remained relatively flat for three years, the policy changes the business community has called for to attract and retain more undergraduate STEM majors have not been enacted. Congress has authorized, but not yet funded, the expansion of science and engineering research and STEM education programs that will make STEM majors more attractive to undergraduates. Private-sector demand for STEM graduates has increased and may help pull more students into these majors. The latest STEM workforce data show that, in 2006, the already low unemployment rate for STEM graduates dropped to 2.5 percent, and starting salaries were higher for students graduating with STEM degrees, particularly those with engineering degrees, than for most other majors. In addition, there is a desperate need for STEM majors to teach math and science in U.S. schools. Research indicates that a highly qualified teacher is one of the most important factors in raising student achievement, yet according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, school districts across the country have difficulty hiring qualified math and science teachers. An appendix provides examples of progress on specific TAP recommendations. (Contains 1 footnotes.) [Cover title varies: "Tapping America's Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative. Gaining Momentum, Losing Ground. Progress Report, 2008."]

This document examines the need to reform education in America. The goal of the United States is to double the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates with bachelor's degrees by 2015. A core set of recommendations are reviewed: (1) Build public support for making science, technology, engineering and math improvement a national priority; (2) Motivate U.S. students and adults to study and enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers, with a special effort geared to those in currently underrepresented groups; (3) Upgrade K-12 math and science teaching to foster higher student achievement; (4) Reform visa and immigration policies to enable the United States to attract and retain the best and brightest science, technology, math and engineering students from around the world to study for advanced degrees and stay to work in the United States; and (5) Boost and sustain funding for basic research, especially in the physical sciences and engineering.

This publication tells the stories of eight schools from around the nation that have used the Open Court Reading program, describing the history of the schools, the challenges they faced, and their attempts to meet those challenges. The schools are located in California, Florida, Texas, and New York. Each of the school stories includes a focus on demonstrable positive results on reading achievement. The schools serve children with a range of socioeconomic, ethnic, and geographic characteristics. They share many characteristics, perhaps the most important of which is a set of results. As a group, they show a reversal of the trends of failure, documenting improvements in reading performance and levels of achievement that often dramatically exceed that of their peers in similar schools. All of the schools and their effective reading programs have implemented ongoing programs of professional development for their teachers, used assessments of student progress during the school year to ensure effective instruction, demonstrated the importance of the principal as the instructional leader, and created exciting climates within their schools to encourage learning. A selected annotated bibliography presents research supporting instruction in Open Court Reading. (SM)

This paper summarizes what is known about the effects of Texas policies to raise academic standards, measure student performance, and impose consequences for results over the past decade. A careful review of the best available evidence shows that, while Texas has not yet achieved an education "miracle," the state has taken several steps forward and achieved some real successes. The Texas reforms have made a positive difference for students overall, especially for low-income and minority children. Texas still has a long way to go to improve the system enough for every student at every level. Texas has seen dramatic increases in passing rates across all grade levels and subjects on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) examinations with equally dramatic decreases in test-score differences according to racial and socioeconomic status. Texas also ranked among the top states on the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) grade assessment, with Texas students tied for the highest gain in mathematics achievement from 1992 to 1996. Texas students scored well above average on the NAEP writing assessment in 1998. NAEP data are particularly impressive for African American students. The evidence also indicates that the gains have not come at the cost of higher dropout rates. High school completion rates in Texas have increased over the past 8 years. There are still substantial achievement gaps in Texas between different groups of students on state tests and NAEP assessments. Too many students fail to complete high school, and the state still has a long way to go to raise academic standards and student achievement so that all students graduate from high school and enroll in higher education ready to tackle college-level work. (Contains 12 tables and 16 figures.) (SLD)

As states and communities across the United States work to raise expectations for student learning, many are challenged by concerns and questions from increasingly vocal parents and teachers. This report summarizes the best advice for business coalitions and standards advocates on how to address the testing backlash. It also features an analysis of current public opinion research on these issues. Advice for standards advocates focuses on the need to develop clear and reasonable standards and then communicate them clearly. Three business coalitions that promote student achievement are described. Opinion research reaffirms that parents and members of the public continue to support the push for higher standards. The public has common sense views about the usefulness and limitations of tests. Policy rarely keeps up with practice, and flaws in implementation are inevitable, but now is the time to deal with the warning signs of discontent and to establish good policy and communicate it clearly. (Contains 6 graphs, 1 table, and 22 references.) (SLD)

This report describes the plan for educational technology in Maryland from 1999-2003. The first section introduces the mission of technology in Maryland. Vision and strategy are discussed in the second section, and a summary of technology research is provided in the third section. The fourth section lists guiding principles and outlines rationales, targets, and recommendations for the following objectives: (1) ensure access for all learners; (2) provide ongoing professional development for technology, beginning at the preservice level; (3) integrate the most appropriate and effective technology into all aspects of the education process; (4) involve key stakeholders in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the plan; (5) ensure adequate funding; and (6) assess the impact of technology. An action plan is presented in the fifth section, and costs are described in the sixth section. Appendices include a review of research on technology in schools, a discussion of integrating technology in specific program areas, a list of references, and a list of members of the Committee on Technology in Education of the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education. (MES)

The Ohio Skill Gap Initiative was conducted to determine the following: (1) what foundational skills--and skill levels--do entry-level employees need to succeed in today's workplace and (2) whether the students graduating from Ohio's public schools possess the foundational skills that will permit them to acquire the knowledge and "know-how" needed for successful entry into and advancement through the present and future workplace. The Ohio Skill Gap Initiative used ACT's "Work Keys" system to answer both of these questions. Jobs in ACT's national database that most closely matched the skilled entry-level jobs that will exist in Ohio's future economy were selected for the study. Data were gathered in four areas (applied mathematics, reading for information, applied technology, and locating information) through Work Keys assessments administered to 14,474 high school seniors at 119 schools. Findings were as follows: (1) Ohio has a significant skill gap; (2) college-bound students are well prepared for jobs requiring a high school education, but students who are not college bound are not; (3) jobs in scientific fields call for much higher skill levels than do clerical or customer-service jobs; (4) the skill gap is greatest where the skill is not included in the students' curriculum (applied technology and locating information); and (5) suburban and rural students showed higher skill levels than urban students. Recommendations were made for actions by educators, employers, parents, communities, and public officials. (KC)

In 1992, California became the second state to enact legislation enabling the creation of charter schools. This report provides information about 44 California charter schools that, as of the 1994-95 school year, had been in operation for at least 1 year. These 44 schools responded to a survey that was sent to each of the 62 California charter schools that were operational during the 1994-95 school year elicited (the response rate was 71 percent). Of the 62 schools, 33 serve elementary grades, 5 serve middle grades, 5 serve high school grades, and 18 serve some combination of the three. The data show wide variation among the schools as to geographic location, size and urbanicity, curricular and instructional practices, and strategies for student assessment. Many charter schools were linked to other national-level education reform efforts, and many had invested heavily in educational technology. In general, the schools used innovative instructional practices, reached out to less advantaged and racially diverse student populations, enjoyed intensive parent and community support, and were laying the groundwork for achieving a deregulated and accountability-driven education system. Charter schools faced the obstacles of inadequate facilities, legal challenges, conflict with school districts, and state-level financial matters. Two figures are included. The appendix contains a table depicting 1994-95 charter-school enrollment and demographic data. (LMI)

In September 1989, the Business Roundtable committed to a 10-year effort to work with state policy makers and educators to restructure state education systems and ensure that all students achieve at high levels. To guide this effort and achieve the 1990 National Educational Goals, the Roundtable adopted nine essential components of a successful education system. First, a successful education system assumes that: every student can learn at significantly higher levels and can be taught successfully; high expectations for every student are reflected in curriculum content, though instructional strategies may vary; and every student and every preschool child needs an advocate--preferably a parent. Furthermore, a successful system contains the following components: it is outcome-based; uses strong and rich assessment strategies; rewards schools for success, helps schools in trouble, and penalizes schools for persistent or dramatic failure; involves school-based staff in instructional decisions; emphasizes staff development; provides high-quality prekindergarten programs, at least for every disadvantaged child; provides health and other social services sufficient to reduce significant learning barriers; and uses technology to raise student and teacher productivity and expand learning access. This report describes state policies exemplifying these nine components and state-level strategies for achieving them, highlighting Kentucky's reform plan. An executive summary is appended. (Contains 38 references.) (MLH)

A formative evaluation was conducted of two elementary schools that have been engaged in the School/Community-Based Management (SCBM) process in Hawaii. The evaluation process was aligned with the SCBM philosophy, which promotes shared decision making, shared responsibility, and collaboration. Stakeholders contributed to the evaluation, which focused only on SCBM implementation processes. Student outcomes will be addressed in the fourth year of implementation. The project can be summarized by the key success factors that were identified and demonstrated in both schools, which are successfully implementing SCBM. One of the fundamental conclusions is that in the very early stages of introducing SCBM the principal is instrumental in initiating the process. During the implementation of SCBM the following were identified as key success factors: (1) shared vision; (2) open communication; (3) respect; (4) trust; (5) collaboration; (6) empowerment; (7) operational guidelines; and (8) continued support for change by the district and state offices. The separate case studies for Wai'alae Elementary School (Honolulu district) and Ma'ili Elementary School (Leeward District, Oahu) are included. Seven tables and one figure illustrate the evaluation, and a staff questionnaire is included. Five appendixes include lists of interviewees, interview protocols, and a team effectiveness inventory. (SLD)

This paper examines: (1) what those who directly employ and educate America's students after they leave high school think of the quality of the U.S. elementary and secondary schools; (2) what recent students and their parents think of the quality of the education they or their children received; and (3) what a cross section of Americans think about the adoption of a common set of national standards of performance for all schools, and whether or not such standards need to be higher than those that now prevail in the schools. The study sought ratings on 15 key attributes of preparedness that are the basic objectives of secondary education and which enable students to perform well on the job or in higher education. Responses (from over 2,000 participants) revealed that employers felt their recent hirees out of high school were borderline in terms of functional literacy and basic functional skills. Employers and educators alike suggest a general lack of student preparation and discipline. Despite the concerns expressed, there was a strong commitment to educational reform on the part of all groups surveyed, including support for tougher standards, and for a higher level of investment. The bulk of the paper consists of tables detailing study findings and the study questionnaires. (GLR)

A study team researched impediments to the use of modern skill training methods in construction that have been caused by the U.S. Department of Labor. The problem that the study sought to define was whether the Labor Department impedes use of training innovations through the combined effect of the regulations promulgated by its Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT) and its administration of the Davis-Bacon Act. It was found that most training in open-shop construction is carried on by large contractors in programs tailored to individual needs or by associations of open-shop contractors. Very few of these programs have been approved by BAT, which has shown a strong preference for traditional programs run by joint labor-management committees. Refusals to register a program have placed a heavy financial burden on organizations sponsoring new and innovative training programs, since Davis-Bacon regulations permit only workers in registered apprenticeship programs to be paid training wages (less than the established journeyman minimum). It was recommended that (1) BAT reexamine its policies concerning approval of craft-training programs, since current procedures deny approval to non-union or independent training programs; and (2) the administration of prevailing wage laws should be changed to recognize that much construction work does not require all the skills of a journeyman, but rather of a helper or subjourneyman. (YLB)

Because of the critical importance of education to the productivity and competitiveness of business, the Ad Hoc Committee on Education, comprised of senior executives from major corporations, was established in November 1987 to identify actions the Business Roundtable could take to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education in the United States. The following recommendations are made: (1) the Business Roundtable should initiate no further studies on education, but rather build upon the research already conducted; (2) the Business Roundtable should make a sustained commitment to an effort lead by chief executive officers (CEOs); (3) the Business Roundtable as a national organization should influence education at the Federal level, including the subject of national curriculum standards; (4) the Business Roundtable should provide guidance and information to member companies on education programs and policies through the CEO-led effort; (5) Roundtable companies should develop and strengthen school/business partnerships at the state and local level; and (6) Roundtable companies should endorse public policy issues at the state and local levels that encourage focus on issues such as curriculum standards, teacher competency, and teacher compensation. The recommendations of 16 education studies are summarized on a chart, and most of the studies themselves are summarized in an appendix. Other appendices provide a short list of references, and figures illustrating the Fiscal Year 1989 budget of the United States Department of Education, and the spending on elementary and secondary public education for the school year 1987-88. (BJV)

This report summarizes the educational activities of American corporations committed to addressing specific education needs and issues through a wide range of programs. The report presents synopses of partnerships for educational improvement between 186 Business Roundtable member companies and public elementary and secondary schools nationwide. Many of the programs described represent member company response to a 1988 initiative of the Education Committee of the Human Resources Task Force of the Business Roundtable. Chief executive officers were challenged to commit corporate efforts to education reform in at least one city where their companies do business. The report is comprised of introductory material, describing the background and scope of business involvement in education partnerships, and brief program synopses, arranged alphabetically by company. The introduction notes that by helping students to attain their full potential, business can fulfill its need to compete effectively in the international marketplace. The skills gap between job needs and worker capabilities can be addressed through business intervention and assistance. The synopses of company activities describe programs involving a variety of targeted areas, including academic disciplines, career awareness, civic and character education, drug prevention, dropout prevention, and the disadvantaged. Synopses include member company contacts. A company index is appended. (AF)