Research Catalog

Title

Tough choices or tough times : the report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce.

Author

National Center on Education and the Economy (U.S.). New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce.

Publication

San Francisco : Jossey-Bass, c2008.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

xxxvii, 219 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

Calls for first redesign of the American education system in a century. This report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce argues that the dynamics of the global economy will lead to a steady decline in the American standard of living if this country does not undertake the first thorough overhaul of its education system in a century. It discusses how our country can graduate 95% of our students (not two-thirds, as it does now) after 12 years and the majority after only 10 years of grade school. It illustrates how billions of dollars can be saved by changing the way students progress through the grades and how the money saved could be used to build high quality early childhood education systems, attract the best and brightest teachers, and provide the resources for even the most disadvantaged students to reach world class standards. This analysis describes the kind of economy needed to sustain our current standard of living and kinds of skills and knowledge that American workers need to make that economy work. It also details the changes in governance, finance, organization, and management of the American education and training systems that are needed. [from publisher description].

Alternative Title

Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce.

Subject

• Occupational training > United States
• Labor supply > Effect of technological innovations on > United States
• High technology and education > United States
• Competition, International
• Educational change > United States

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Introduction to the revised edition -- Executive summary -- Preface -- Prologue -- The nature of the challenge now -- The scenario: The recommendations as they might look from the vantage point of an observer in 2021 -- Comments -- Background papers: Estimates of the additional expense and savings associated with the Commission's proposed reforms in elementary and secondary education; Teachers and teaching policy; Early childhood education; The adult workforce -- Commentary on the report: "Tough choices": change the system or suffer the consequences ; "Tough choices": radical ideas, misguided assumptions; Education's "Grand Departure": Defending the Skills Commission's vision for the future; Making tough choices; The new commission on the skills of the American workforce: old news or new news?; Big challenges, bold ideas; False alarm; The economic case for education reform; Improper diagnosis, reckless treatment; Reckless and wildly exaggerated? We don't think so! A response to Mishel and Rothstein -- Appendixes: The study; Trustees of the National Center on Education and the Economy; Biographies of members of the Commission; Commission staff and associates.

ISBN

• 9780470267561 (pbk. : alk. paper)
• 0470267569 (pbk. : alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2008003755

OCLC

191846884

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library