s in all of their core subjects; these figures are even lower for African-American and Hispanic students.
— The College Board reported that even among college-bound seniors, only 43 percent met college-ready standards, meaning that more college students need to take remedial courses.
The lack of preparedness poses threats on five national security fronts: economic growth and competitiveness, physical safety, intellectual property, U.S. global awareness, and U.S. unity and cohesion, says the report. Too many young people are not employable in an increasingly high-skilled and global economy, and too many are not qualified to join the military because they are physically unfit, have criminal records, or have an inadequate level of education.
"Human capital will determine power in the current century, and the failure to produce that capital will undermine America's security," the report states. "Large, undereducated swaths of the population damage the ability of the United States to physically defend itself, protect its secure information, conduct diplomacy, and grow its economy."
The Task Force proposes three overarching policy recommendations:
— Implement educational expectations and assessments in subjects vital to protecting national security. "With the support of the federal government and industry partners, states should expand the Common Core State Standards, ensuring that students are mastering the skills and knowledge necessary to safeguard the country's national security."
— Make structural changes to provide students with good choices. "Enhanced choice and competition, in an environment of equitable resource allocation, will fuel the innovation necessary to transform results."
— Launch a "national security readiness audit" to hold schools and policymakers accountable for results and to raise public awareness. "There should be a coordinated, national effort to assess whether students are learning the skills and knowledge necessary to safeguard America's future security and prosperity. The results should be publicized to engage the American people in addressing problems and building on successes."
The Task Force includes 30 prominent education experts, national security authorities, and corporate leaders who reached consensus on a set of contentious issues. The report also includes a number of additional and dissenting views by Task Force members. The Task Force is directed by Julia Levy, an entrepreneur and former director of communications for the New York City Department of Education.
The Task Force believes that its message and recommendations "can reshape education in the United States and put this country on track to be an educational, economic, military, and diplomatic global leader."
The report is available at www.cfr.org/education_task_force.
Task Force Members
Carole Artigiani, Global Kids, Inc.
Craig R. Barrett, Intel Corporation
Richard Barth, KIPP Foundation
Edith L. Bartley, UNCF
Gaston Caperton, The College Board
Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University
Jonah M. Edelman, Stand for Children
Roland Fryer Jr., Harvard University
Ann M. Fudge
Ellen V. Futter, American Museum of Natural History
Preston M. Geren, Sid W. Richardson Foundation
Louis V. Gerstner Jr.
Allan E. Goodman, Institute of International Education
Frederick M. Hess, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Joel I. Klein, News Corporation
Wendy Kopp, Teach For America
Jeffrey T. Leeds, Leeds Equity Partners, LLC
Julia Levy, Culture Craver
Michael L. Lomax, UNCF
Eduardo J.Padrón, Miami Dade College
Matthew F. Pottinger, China Six LLC
Laurene Powell Jobs, Emerson Collective
Condoleezza Rice, Stanford University
Benno C. Schmidt, Avenues: The World School
Stanley S. Shuman, Allen& Company LLC
Leigh Morris Sloane, Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs
Margaret Spellings, Margaret Spellings and Company
Stephen M. Walt, Harvard Kennedy School
Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers
The Council on Foreign Relations sponsors Independent Task F