Gov. Ritter Tells House Committee That Education Reforms Are Key to U.S. Compettiveness & Economic Growth

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter today told members of Congress that a nationwide effort to create a common core of college and career readiness standards is crucial to U.S. competitiveness and future economic growth.

“Our economy is now truly global, and the competitiveness of our education system must reflect this,” Gov. Ritter said, testifying before the House Committee on Education and Labor. U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, is a member of the committee. “To maintain America’s competitive edge, all of our students need to be well-prepared and ready to compete not only with their American peers, but also with students from around the world.”

Gov. Ritter currently serves as chair of the National Governors Association’s Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee. The NGA is leading an initiative for all states to create a set of common core standards for academic rigor and college- and career-readiness. To date, 48 states have joined the effort, and Gov. Ritter updated the House Committee about the progress of this effort as Congress prepares to begin debate on reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act.

He also shared the Colorado experience with the committee, citing the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids, a bipartisan 2008 law that is transforming Colorado’s education system from pre-school to grad school. The new law is aligning P-12 and higher education standards to ensure that all students have the necessary skills and knowledge so they are ready for college or the workforce after high school. The new law also will lead to elimination of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), which will be replaced with more meaningful assessment tools for students and teachers by 2012.

“This new law marks the first time in Colorado history that our education systems are working together in earnest on common student-oriented policies,” Gov. Ritter said. “This is truly game-changing education policy in my state. For the first time, we are shifting our collective attention from annual assessments and simple punitive accountability policies to a focus on relevancy, student growth, and an expectation that all students, regardless of their station in life, should be prepared for college and career by the time they exit high school.”

Gov. Ritter’s written testimony as submitted to the House Committee is attached, and below is the text of Gov. Ritter’s verbal remarks as prepared for delivery:

Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Kline, and members of the committee, thank you for inviting me to testify on the Common Core State Standards Initiative. On behalf of the National Governors Association and as Chair of the Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee, I am honored to be with you today.

Our economy is now truly global, and the competitiveness of our education system must reflect this. To maintain America’s competitive edge, all of our students need to be well-prepared and ready to compete not only with their American peers, but also with students from around the world.

The state-led development of common core state standards is a critical first step to bring about real and meaningful transformation of state education systems to benefit all students. I appreciate, first-hand, how important this effort is to the competitiveness of state workforces and, similarly, how important it is to ensure that it remains in the hands of states.

In 2008, I pushed for the development of state-level policy that would align K-12 and higher education standards with the goal of ensuring that all students are ready for entry into postsecondary education or the workforce upon exit from high school. We called this effort the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids, or CAP4K, and it represented the first time Colorado’s education systems worked together in earnest on common student-oriented policies. It was truly game-changing education policy in my state.

For the first time, we shifted our collective attention from annual assessments and simple punitive accountability policies to a focus on relevancy, student growth, and an expectation that all students, regardless of their station in life, should be prepared for college and career by the time of exit from high school.

But, from my first-hand experience, I caution that this work takes time to implement well. After nearly two years of concentrated effort and deliberate outreach, we are just now at the point of state-level adoption. Next, we will turn to developing a new system of assessments, and then to supporting local district adoption and classroom implementation.

We have been moving at near light speed to develop, adopt, and implement new standards and assessments, but these tools will not be ready for use until 2012. Though there are 48 states and territories involved in the effort to develop common standards, it is important to respect that each is in a different place regarding its readiness to adopt and implement the common core standards.

I am confident that this process has a great chance for success, but adoption of new standards is simply the first step toward meaningful education reform. So, I return to this critical point: the common core standards initiative is and must remain a state-led effort.

Adoption of the common core is voluntary for states. The decision to adopt will be made in every state by state and local leaders working with teachers, parents, businesses, and citizens. To develop the standards, NGA and CCSSO have been using the best available evidence, both nationally and internationally. This first round of state adoption should be considered version 1.0. Future and ongoing revisions are inevitable and necessary. Moreover, future research will inform improvements and expand the body of evidence.

States are already planning for the sustainability of this work and the possible development of standards in additional subjects. Congress can support participating states by setting high expectations for results and allow governors to lead -- give us the clear authority to experiment, innovate, and define how to get the work done.

Governors need your leadership and assistance; the federal government has a critical supporting role to unleash the power of state-led action. The common core standards initiative is just the tip of the iceberg on the power of state-led action.

Within the next few months, we expect to begin working on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, more commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act. Ideally, this effort would replicate the state-federal partnership I just described. Work must remain on assessments, accountability, human capital, R&D – and so much more.

Governors are committed and eager to work with the committee on the reauthorization. Again, Chairman Miller and members of the committee, on behalf of governors across the nation, I appreciate the opportunity to address you today. I would be happy to take any questions you may have.