Business Groups Zero in on Education Reform

Focus on Pre-K and Science Education

Across the country, active business groups are turning their attention to education reform. The connection between education and the economy is straightforward and long-established, but as the economy demands increasing numbers of highly-skilled workers, business groups are focusing their energies on ensuring schools can keep up with the changing demands. National groups such as the Business Roundtable and the Committee on Economic Development have invested in education research and advocacy, while some local business groups get actively involved in their states and districts. These groups add a respected perspective and a strong commitment to the chorus of voices calling for equity and excellence in education.

National Groups

Many national groups dedicated to economic development have developed positions on education policy. These groups have recognized that educational improvements are essential to economic progress, and have taken a leadership role in advocating for smart and effective education policies.

The Committee for Economic Development (CED) is a group that has for decades been dedicated to “bringing a ‘business voice’ and perspective to critical national issues.” Primary amongst these issues is education; CED is actively involved in research that investigates school funding, teacher support, early childhood education, and a recently launched project on foreign language and international studies. CED often partners with charitable organizations to host conferences and launch research projects whose results will have a substantial impact on public and expert understanding of those issues.

The Business Roundtable is “an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. corporations” that is “committed to advocating public policies that ensure vigorous economic growth, a dynamic global economy, and the well-trained and productive U.S. workforce essential for future competitiveness.” A strong collection of economic force and business acumen, the Business Roundtable has a unique bargaining position from which to form coalitions and lobby political leaders in support of strong public education. Their research and advocacy focus on promoting high standards, notably through enforcement of the No Child Left Behind Act, and on meeting the growing need for a highly skilled, high-achieving workforce.

The Business Roundtable also works extensively with local partners to promote their education policies at the state and district level. Members of the Business Roundtable have worked to create coalitions of business interests that can ferment the active push towards business involvement in shaping education locally. These groups are well-positioned to influence local school policy and to carry the business message to communities around the country.

Local Groups

Though active on a national level, business groups can have an especially strong impact on state and local education policies. States give deep consideration to the business community when formulating education finance, which often impacts a state’s business tax structure, and when funding public services, which when strong often serve to lure businesses to a particular area. With many local leaders attuned to the interests of the business community, active research and advocacy on behalf of improved public schools by that community is particularly effective.

One example of an active local business group is the Business Council of Fairfield County (CT). The Council, which works to “mobiliz[e] southwestern Connecticut's business, political and community leadership around issues critical to the region's viability as a business destination,” has just published a resource guide entitled “Achievement Gaps in Our Schools: Realities & Remedies.” The guide notes that failing to provide an equal opportunity for all students through universally excellent schools will hurt a community both by failing to adequately train the emerging workforce, and by closing the door to businesses whose employees want strong schools for their children. The guide provides a “conceptual framework for businesses contemplating philanthropic and employee involvement in our public schools.”

Another group is the Texas Business & Education Coalition, a group that works to “[b]ring business and education leaders together to help secure the future of Texas by improving the performance of the State’s publicly funded education systems.” The Coalition boasts the support of several major national corporations, and has been active in lobbying legislators and others in the wake of Texas’ controversial school finance negotiations. The Coalition was also host to a forum in February 2006 in which Texas Governor Rick Perry and Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn presented their sharply conflicting views of the state’s education system. In a state where businesses play a powerful role in determining state policy, the Coalition plays an important role in advocating for the shared goals of the business community and the public education system.

Other local business groups are also involved in lobbying politicians, and are often coveted for their endorsement of policy and referendum proposals, notably state and local chambers of commerce. The impact of these groups also grows when the changing economy prompts calls for new approaches to education.

Focus on Early Childhood and Science Education

As these business groups develop extensive policy platforms, two policy issues are especially popular within the business community. These issues, early childhood education and the improvement of math and science education, are salient to the business community for their proven effectiveness, relevance to economic needs, and impressive cost-benefit ratios.

The Business Roundtable, together with 14 other business organizations, released a report entitled “Tapping America’s Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative,” which launched the TAP campaign to “doubl[e] the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates with bachelor’s degrees by 2015.” The report, along with the widely heralded National Academies Report, “Rising Above The Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future,” warns of an impending end to America’s dominance in science and technology and calls for active efforts to increase the number of students studying to become scientists, mathematicians and engineers. The topic has garnered intense attention, and has become a popular national effort.

Early childhood education is also a policy supported by virtually all of the business groups detailed above, as well as many others. CED has been involved in substantial research on the impact of early childhood education on achievement, and has been a leader, in concert with the Pew Charitable Trusts, in promoting free, universal pre-kindergarten. This effort has included a policy report, “Preschool for All: Investing in a Productive and Just Society,” and numerous meetings held across the country, which have encouraged business leaders to get involved in promoting preschool. CED expects to release another report on this topic in mid-2006.

It is clear that business groups on the national, state, and local level have the capacity to impact education policy, and are actively engaged in promoting education as the cornerstone of a productive economy. For more information, visit the Education Commission of the States’ “Business Involvement” page.

Prepared by Nelly Ward, March 13, 2006