Getting Kids Ready To Compete

Students often complain that the subjects they study in school don’t give them the skills they need in the real world. Many schools and teachers aren’t equipped to educate students in the digital age.

A group of educators is setting out to change that. Partnership For The 21st Century brings educators and businesses together to discuss how to best prepare American students to compete in the global economy. Their message? Schools need the freedom to weave real-world lessons into the core subjects on which they are now so intensely focused.

Major corporations, including Dell, Cisco Systems, and Apple Inc., are joining with NEA and the American Federation of Teachers in the effort.

That will give students greater access to health and financial literacy, global awareness education, and prepare them to participate more fully in civic life—a must for their globalized futures. For more, go to www.21stcenturyskills.org .

—Danielle Taylor