Reinventing Education

"Whatever the merits of any particular charter school model, the premise of charter schooling—heightened accountability for results coupled with enhanced flexibility—is clearly the future of American schooling."

"Schools in which instruction takes place over the Internet, also known as virtual or cyberschools, provide students, parents and schools with choice and flexibility."

These important observations come from a recent report on the state of education in America.

The report—Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness —was authored by the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As such, it takes a serious, businesslike approach to rating our schools, asking questions about academic performance, return on investment, and whether young people are prepared to compete in a 21st century workforce. It concludes that we must do more today to prepare our kids for tomorrow.

The Chamber’s report encourages flexibility in management and policy as positive forces to improve education, and points to charter schools, virtual schools, and the use of technology as solutions. Indeed, one of the eight major findings of the report is the need to foster innovation. The report praises some states that "have moved aggressively to promote comprehensive charter school legislation and enable virtual schooling, thus helping establish the infrastructure for 21st century educational reinvention."

Charter schools spur innovation and creativity. In 1991, there was just one charter school in the United States. In 1996, there were 250. Today, there are more than 2,400 charter schools across the nation, and they are growing in support and numbers every year.

Virtual schools deliver personalized learning. The antiquated model of education that focuses on "mass production" of learning is being challenged by the virtual school. Students can now access individualized learning programs, excellent curriculum, and specialized courses that give every student equal opportunity to learn, regardless of their geographic, financial, or academic circumstance. With such characteristics, it's no surprise that virtual schools are thriving, and that online learning options are in high demand from parents, students and teachers.

Change can be difficult, but it is impossible to avoid. A century ago, the list of good jobs for Americans included blacksmith, carriage-maker and bridle-maker. But the times, they were and are a-changing.

The sons of blacksmiths became carmakers and iron workers. The sons and daughters of iron workers became office managers and information technologists. The children of the information technologists must learn to thrive in a virtual, global economy where jobs exist across continents and the connection to work is increasingly via the Internet, not office building.

Businesses have long embraced the need to change their products and services to meet the evolving demands of the markets they serve. Today, businesses use virtual networks to link workers around the world, educate them, and prepare them for tomorrow. Those businesses that fail to embrace the changing world of technology are likely to perish, while the new entrepreneurs and innovators take the lead.

It is the same with education. To achieve better results for every child, the barriers that prevent effective teaching and learning must be removed. American education should model the successes in the business world and integrate technology-based solutions to keep pace with our international competitors. Embracing the creativity of charter schools and the innovation of virtual schools is a first step in the right direction for education and the future of children.