Arizona Governor Pushes School Reform in Her New NGA Role

The new head of the National Governors Association, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, has made school reform the centerpiece of her year-long leadership tenure. Calling the governors of all 50 states to action, Napolitano has proposed a plan--called "Innovation America"--to boost the competitiveness of American students, particularly in the areas of math and science.

As U.S. schools try to distance themselves from the stigma that they are lagging behind other, less-industrialized nations, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is calling for a concerted national effort on school-wide reform, urging leaders in all 50 states to better prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century.

Napolitano launched her "Innovation America" initiative after taking over as chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group representing the nation's governors. The year-long endeavor, the cornerstone of her "Chair's Initiative," will focus on raising awareness about the need for American competitiveness and encouraging schools from coast to coast to reform their teaching strategies, especially in the areas of math and science, to better meet the needs of the new global economy.

"To be competitive as a nation, we must prepare our young people to meet the real demands of the job market," said Napolitano, a Democrat who has received strong political support in a traditionally Republican stronghold, during the closing session of the NGA's annual meeting in Charleston, S.C. "The goal of my Chair's Initiative is to educate our students to be innovators, and to carry that spirit of innovation through their university experience and into the workforce. Math and science education teaches true problem-solving skills that, in turn, will increase our nation's capacity for innovation in virtually every field."

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