As the global economy becomes more and more competitive, schools are looking for ways to better prepare students for college and/or the workforce. Some states have found success with various policies and programs. This briefing included a discussion of rigorous academic standards, common assessments, professional development, teacher preparation, time and technology, and state accountability systems. State leaders can determine what will work best based on the needs of individual communities. Experts provided an analysis of existing state policies and offer innovative strategies and solutions to put transformational ideas into practice.

On Monday, President Barack Obama officially unveiled his budget for 2013.  As he spoke from Northern Virginia Community College, Obama highlighted the more than $65 billion in education funding focused on resources dedicated to transforming K-12 and postsecondary education to ensure students have the skills and knowledge to succeed in the future.

The U.S. Department of Education released progress report information for the 12 states that received Race to the Top funding in 2010.  The specific summaries highlight the reform efforts and initiatives each state is implementing along with challenges along the way.  Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee developed aggressive plans for statewide reform and secured funding for the work.

Educators and policymakers realize that all of America’s students need a high-quality education to prepare them for college and careers. 2012 promises to be another busy year in  transformational strategies in education. In order to ensure a world-class education, leaders will likely address these top five issues facing states and territories (“the states”) this year.

How many times do some college students change their majors? Once? Twice? More? Choosing the career one wants to pursue is an often difficult, even agonizing, decision, marked by trial and error, changing priorities, and life experiences. That helps explain why it's not uncommon for postsecondary education students to change their career choices mid-stream. Georgia, however, will start expecting students as early as the ninth grade to choose a career path and begin preparing for it in high school.

After four years of high school most students are probably eager to put high school behind them. A study in Maine, however, could lead to students having the option to remain in high school for an extra year if they choose to do so.

This Act establishes a program to enable eleventh and twelfth grade high school students to attend postsecondary colleges and schools and get high school credit. It contains requirements for course credit and state funding.

The Obama administration is taking steps to engage the states in a new dialogue to address issues facing education in the U.S. today. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, a former Chicago school superintendent is leading the charge to spark reform in the nation’s schools. He’s open to anything that will address underperforming schools and close the achievement gap, and that includes altering the way education funding is awarded as well as supporting changes states are already making. “My only goal is success,” he said. Capitol Ideas visited with Duncan about the issues.