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Prior

The Problem

Given the economic influence of the United States on over two hundred other economies; looming reductions in educational funding by Federal, state and local entities; and a crumbling tax base with attendant rising poverty, the stakes could not be higher, and the consequences of poor use of resources (shown above, the fabled �dead man's hand�) and time could not be more lethal.

While the e-publication of quantifiable results mandated by No Child Left Behind was a positive result, despite trillions of dollars and a great deal of effort by many dedicated people, it is fair to say that the dreadful percentage of American children not completing high school has not improved, scores on standardized tests remain dismal, and very few states will sustain educational achievement goals once thought to be in easy reach. The rather modest 19^th century measure of a C- average in high school has zero relevance, and can be said to be a threat to America's standing in the world.

A more forward-looking educational policy would include:

• An objective of full-time employment after college

• Universal all-digital individual education plans

• Emphasis on life-long learning

• The use of e-badges and standardized tests to measure teaching and learning

For teachers of tomorrow, it will not suffice to merely accumulate badges. Those who are called to teach will not only have to continue to learn themselves, but will have to insure that their students are taught. To illustrate how this complex pair of critical tasks can be accomplished some screen shots from the BEISA software follow.