Why a K-20 Vision?

Education and innovation have long been the hallmark of America’s success, and keys to our democracy, economic development and way of life. With help from excellent educational institutions and an enterprising spirit, the United States has led the world in innovation and technology. Today, that lead is diminishing, as our schools work with limited resources to produce knowledge-based workers who have the skills to compete in the 21st Century global workplace.

While our educational system has evolved in response to a myriad of changing circumstances and challenges, we stand at a new crossroads. Digital information and communication technologies have been embraced by businesses and consumers worldwide. They have swept us into a global economy, in which workers and entrepreneurs from all nations compete for jobs, resources, ideas and capital.

Young people have welcomed these technologies into their lives, their homes and their backpacks. Students travel from place to place, carrying an array of digital devices from cell phones to laptop computers to gaming devices and more. And yet, these 21st Century tools largely responsible for the “flattening” of the world in which we live and integral to our society and our students’ daily lives, have yet to be fully leveraged by our nation’s K-20 schools to improve learning.

Key to rebuilding America’s competitive edge globally—and renewing our “can do” spirit nationally—is the revitalization of our educational resources, practices and schools. To remain relevant and effective in a century marked by rapid innovation and global competition, the education community must understand how learning can be improved through the use of new technologies, and use the data gathered with help from these technologies, to guide educational decisions. Until now, the investment in technology has led to the discovery and development of “best practices,” but these success stories have not yet led to large-scale systemic change.

Change is necessary for the future success of K-20 education.