U.S. should go global on education standards

Today, it’s less important how students in Iowa or Oregon compare to those in Alabama or Virginia on a national test, according to Raymond C. Scheppach, executive director of the National Governors Association. What matters most is how students in North Carolina or Texas compare to those in Denmark or Russia. In short, educational protectionism, he says, is outdated and ignores the realities of the 21st century global economy.

The countries that will benefit in this new global, entrepreneurial and knowledge-based economy are those with the most highly skilled and educated labor force. So how do we ensure that our students are prepared to compete in the global economy now and in the future? We must start by adopting the correct conceptual standard—not by enacting or adopting federal standards or tests. Rather, the solution is for the states to work together to adopt internationally benchmarked standards—TIMMS and the PISA. Read more of his commentary at Stateline.org.