Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Gov. Bobby Jindal said Wednesday at the Leadership for Change 2013 Louisiana Education Excellence Summit that Louisiana needs to maintain a sense of urgency regarding education reform.
Sponsored by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, chairman of the House Education Committee, the summit aimed to gather educational, business and nonprofit leaders to discuss issues in Louisiana education.
Several University administrators were present, including LSU President-elect F. King Alexander and Interim System President and Chancellor William “Bill” Jenkins.
While introducing the keynote speaker, Jindal emphasized that improving education must be made a priority to the American people, and currently education rankings have straggled behind.
“It doesn’t sound very American to say we are No. 17,” Jindal said.
In the facilitated discussion, Rice said although America’s K-12 education lags behind other nations, the nation’s higher education is still a gold standard and regarded highly worldwide.
Higher education has two factors that make it unique: variety and competitiveness, Rice said.
“Access to higher education is going to even the playing field,” Rice said. “Education is the key to the very foundation and core of our society.”
Jindal spoke about last year’s legislative session’s business leaders and their demand for education so schools can produce more highly skilled workers.
In an effort to improve the University’s computer science program, Jindal said the IBM partnership will train the technology and computer science concentrated employees the local economy needs.
The problems with education in the U.S. are currently causing a divide in the nation between capable people and incapable people, Rice said.
She said leaving children trapped in a failing school is not an option.
Additionally, Rice gave insight into No Child Left Behind, the education reform based on standardized testing that dominated the George W. Bush presidency.
She said No Child Left Behind put education on the national agenda and gave the federal government a role to play by letting people realize that every child can learn.
Jindal maintained his position on K-12 reform, saying the dollars should follow the child. Good teachers should be evaluated and rewarded for improving scores and making sure children learn, he said.
Rice said the success in schools will be achieved when children have pride in what they are doing and when citizens take responsibility for how they behave toward education.
“Education has been the intervention that has allowed us to overcome circumstances,” Rice said.
“Education is the key to the very foundation and core of our society…we are not producing people who know anything about this country.”
The crowd applauds LSU Interim Chancellor and President Williams Jenkins for his commitment to the University April 17, 2013, at the 2013 Louisiana Education Excellence Summit in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
