The future financial well-being of everyone in the United States (who is now or will soon be) over 60 is in the hands of everyone (who is now) under 30.  Only a strong, globally domestic economy can assure that there are sufficient government and business resources to meet the future needs of an older generation, and only through the availability and commitment to a high quality education system can the younger generation have any assurance that their life style will be equal to or better than that of the previous generation.

To improve student outcome we need to :

•  Make use of measurement systems that are jointly developed by educators and policy makers

•  Make positive changes in the education system that are predictable, manageable, sustainable and flexible, and are expected to have a long term positive impact on student outcome

•  As appropriate, make the education process increasingly responsive to external challenges

However, there are challenges:

•  Change is difficult and generally slow

•  The nation appears impatient for student improvement...but has not  yet converted that impatience into sufficient funding

•  Changing demographics will put increasing pressure on school funding (e.g. an increasing number of seniors tend to be reluctant to approve school tax increases)

•  A majority of the nation's schools and classrooms (still) need to be modified to provide a quality learning environment

•  Student safety and security has taken on a new level of urgency, and has resulted in a diversion of limited resources

•  Education-Technology funding at the national level is decreasing and there is insufficient political commitment to assure that it will be sufficiently funded over the long term for system maintenance, upgrades and new equipment

•  The decreasing "life cycle" of technology products will increase replacement funding pressures

•  The added value of a technology supported education is not yet fully appreciated by all

•  There is no widely accepted “technology model” to serve as a template for change

•  There is a a reluctance to adopt the teaching methods of other nations, even in cases where success in specific areas can be demonstrated

•  There is a recognized shortage of teachers qualified to teach science and math, and significant obstacles to increase their numbers

In the end, if positive change is to be made it will be necessary to:

Consider the students’ and nation's needs simultaneously while building a local and national consensus that the implications of educational compromise are simply not acceptable.