The business community has a long history of supporting efforts to improve public education in America. Whether through public-private partnerships, direct engagement, or financial support, companies and organizations historically have made strategic investments in education because they know that the success of our nation's economy in the global marketplace depends on a quality workforce. Business leaders - both individually and collectively through coalitions and associations - can keep momentum going as states face competing priorities, limited budgets, and leadership turnover (see Achieve's Taking Root [1] series for examples of how states' business communities have helped sustain education reforms in the past.)

The need for the business community to support education reform has reached a critical point. College and career readiness for all high school graduates was once just an idea championed by a small group of thought leaders. Now it is a major national education priority in each state, district, and school throughout the U.S. Forty-six states and DC have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS); 45 states and DC are working to develop common, next generation assessments aligned to the Common Core; 26 states are leading a national effort to develop K-12 Next Generation Science Standards to revitalize science education across the U.S.; and nearly every state is re-evaluating their accountability systems, with direct implications for districts, schools and educators.

Going forward, as states move from adoption to implementation, dedicated advocates are needed to ensure states and leaders remain committed to the goal of college and career readiness for all and to the policies and initiatives designed to achieve that goal.

[2]To inform and rally more advocates in the business community, Achieve has developed the Business Resources for a College- and Career-Ready America [2]. These modular resources are for business leaders to use as they engage their internal and external networks of colleagues, peers, employees, and employers around the college- and career-ready agenda. The resources specifically include:

• Case-making facts and data that outline the urgency for business engagement around education reform
• Critical and relevant background on college- and career-ready reforms, including the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, and the U.S. education system  
• Actionable strategies for engaging with employees, peers, CEOs and corporate executives, business associations, elected officials and the media in support of education reform

Over time, Achieve will add to these resources, with additional cards, PPT slides, templates and data for developing organization-specific fact sheets and messages, and examples from the field of how business leaders are currently supporting the college- and career-ready agenda.

Sign up here [3] to receive hard copies of the cards and updates when new resources become available.