Jason has this to say about education in the United States, "I don't support the idea of teaching for tests. When such a large mandate is required that can be found in NCLB without the Federal funds to support and bring our public education system to those expectations, reform or repeal of this act needs to happen. Instead of closing down our public education institutions, we should invest our resources to ensure our children can be well educated and compete in today’s global market." My leadership experience and knowledge within Illinois Higher Education has allowed me to understand the current issues facing the stakeholders of education and the need to align education issues as P-20. In a recently released IBHE press release, "The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has forged a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Governor's office and ISBE to develop a policy agenda aimed at improving readiness of high school graduates for the rigors of postsecondary education and the demands of the workplace. The partnership is focused on strategies to:
- Ensure that high school academic standards are aligned with expectations for what students should know when they enter the workforce or a college classroom.
- Measure how successful the system is in producing college and career-ready students.
- Marshal state resources to support efforts in school districts to prepare students for life after high school, including accountability systems for higher education institutions."
Jason is encouraged by this partnership in the state of Illinois and believe that the Federal Government should assist Illinois and other states in reforming education so that we have a well-informed and educated electorate. Once this occurs, citizens can vote with the confidence that they understand the issues and candidates they choose at the election booth. The Federal government can also assist our educational institutions with the resources necessary to develop and retrofit capital projects so that they use renewable energy sources on all buildings currently being used and planned for the future.