Our Issues
Education and 21st Century Workforce Initiatives
In the competitive global economy, the most serious threat to continued U.S. leadership is our nation's declining commitment to math, science and engineering education relative to other nations. On par with their international peers in math and science at lower grade levels, American students begin falling behind in secondary school. Declining numbers of Americans are pursuing undergraduate degrees in the physical sciences and engineering. Women and minorities are underrepresented in science and engineering courses. Meanwhile, Europe, China and other Asian countries are heavily investing in their own science and engineering education and workforce capacity.
America is not adequately preparing the next generation to lead our country and the world in science and innovation. To remain the world’s technological leader in the 21st century, we must establish and achieve an ambitious goal: We must double the number of Americans annually completing undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) within 10 years.
Tapping America's Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative
TechNet is committed to continuing to work with the Administration and Congress in support of efforts to ensure that all Americans have the tools and skills to compete in the Innovation Economy. Specifically, TechNet urges Congress to implement the recommendations of the report, Tapping America's Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative. The TAP Report recommends policies and appropriations to:
- Build public support for making improvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics a national priority;
- Motivate U.S. students and adults, using a variety of incentives, to study and enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers, with a special effort geared to those in currently underrepresented groups;
- Upgrade K-12 mathematics and science teaching to foster higher student achievement, including differentiated pay scales for mathematics and science teachers;
- Reform visa and immigration policies; and
- Boost and sustain funding for basic research, especially in the physical sciences and engineering.
Strengthening Resources for America's Teachers
TechNet, in partnership with the Department of Education, is implementing the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative to strengthen the resources available to America’s math and science teachers. Recognizing the tremendous contributions that the technology industries have made to strengthening math and science education through national, state or community-based programs, the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative will make these programs available to the nation’s teachers through professional development workshops and web-based initiatives. National Semiconductor held the first of a planned series of math/science workshops sponsored by TechNet members in 2005. TechNet members, including National Semiconductor Corporation, EMC Corporation, Cisco Systems and Microsoft Corporation, are hosting workshops throughout summer 2006.”
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TechNet CEO Education Task Force
TechNet is working with the U.S. Department of Education as well as the Business Roundtable and others to develop recommendations to improve U.S. math and science competitiveness and to increase the number of American students pursuing studies and careers in math, science, and technology.
TechNet has established an Education Task Force of some of the nation's leading CEOs to develop recommendations to improve U.S. math and science competitiveness and increase the number of American students pursuing studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. TechNet’s education and workforce initiatives are guided by the TechNet CEO Education Task Force.
Members of the TechNet CEO Education Task Force are: Jim Barksdale, President & CEO, Barksdale Management Group; Craig Barrett, Chairman, Intel Corporation; Art Coviello, President and CEO, RSA Security; Paul Deninger, Chairman, Jefferies Broadview; John Doerr, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers; Floyd Kvamme, Partner Emeritus, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers; Tod Loofbourrow, President & CEO, Authoria; Scott McNealy, Chairman and CEO, Sun Microsystems; John Morgridge, Chairman, Cisco Systems, Inc.; Henry Samueli, Chairman and CTO, Broadcom; Stratton Sclavos, President and CEO, VeriSign; Joe Tucci, President and CEO, EMC Corporation.
TechNet-NetDay Partnership
TechNet's partnership with NetDay is ongoing with a shared commitment to improving K-12 education, to addressing the "digital divide" and to supporting educators in their efforts to effectively integrate technology into the classroom.
NetDay is a national non-profit whose mission is to connect every child to a brighter future by helping educators meet educational goals through the effective use of technology. NetDay is making this mission possible by creating environments where the magic of learning for all participants - students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members - is enhanced with technology resources. TechNet shares and supports NetDay's mission. TechNet and NetDay have a mutually beneficial partnership that provides support for a number of education technology programs:
- NetDay Community Initiatives - A collection of community driven projects connecting students and their teachers in under-served communities with the necessary resources to facilitate learning through education technology.
- NetDayCompass.org - A free, comprehensive, online directory providing K-12 school leaders worldwide with an organized library of quality resources to guide effective decision-making for educational technology and to develop leadership capacity.
- NetDay Leadership Campaign for Education Technology - A national and state-level public awareness effort focuses on how to develop and nurture education technology leadership within our K-12 schools so that schools can best leverage their technology assets to impact educational results.
Other Resources
TechNet Press Release in Support of ACI, July 6, 2006
American Competitiveness Initiative, January 31, 2006
TechNet Letter in Support of The National Innovation Act, December 14, 2005
TechNet Hails Partnership with U.S. Department of Education to Strengthen Math and Science Skills, September 28, 2005
Tapping America's Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative, July 2005
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