Rhode Island Governor Carcieri Joins Achieve Board

Thursday, July 12, 2007Printer-friendly version

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Sandy Boyd, Achieve,
(202) 419-1540, sboyd@achieve.org

WASHINGTON—July 12, 2007— Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri has accepted an invitation to join the board of directors of Achieve, Inc., the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit announced today.

In joining the board, Governor Carcieri will help guide Achieve’s work to lead and support state efforts to improve systems of standards, assessments and accountability and to ensure that all students are prepared for postsecondary education, work and citizenship.

"We are delighted to welcome Governor Carcieri to Achieve’s board of directors," said Achieve President Michael Cohen. "Under Governor Carcieri's leadership, Rhode Island has become a national leader in efforts to improve high schools and to ensure that more students graduate ready for college and work. His experience and insight as a governor, a former business leader, and a teacher will be a major asset in Achieve's work to support similar efforts nationwide."

Since taking office in 2003, Governor Carcieri has been instrumental in efforts to improve Rhode Island’s high schools. Under the Governor's direction, Rhode Island developed a statewide curriculum in English Language Arts and mathematics and is currently developing a similar curriculum in science. In addition, new, performance-based high school graduation requirements will take effect with the Class of 2008 requiring all graduates to demonstrate proficiency in English, math, science, social studies, technology and the arts. Governor Carcieri has also led efforts to instill greater accountability and higher standards for Rhode Island schools, and has launched a number of initiatives to improve math and science education.

In February 2005, Governor Carcieri committed Rhode Island to join Achieve's American Diploma Project Network, a coalition of 29 states committed to aligning high school standards, assessments, curriculum and accountability with the demands of postsecondary education and work.

As part of the American Diploma Project Network initiatives, under Governor Carcieri’s leadership, Rhode Island became one of nine states that joined forces in April to launch a new, common student assessment in Algebra II, marking the largest effort a group of states has ever undertaken to develop a common assessment based on common standards. The test represents a promising new model for multi-state reform efforts at a time when the lackluster achievement of high school students, particularly in science, technology, engineering and math, has become a national priority. Before becoming governor of Rhode Island, Governor Carcieri was Chief Executive Officer of Cookson America and Joint Managing Director of Cookson Group Worldwide, a manufacturing company with more than 12,000 employees worldwide and over $3 billion in sales. Early in his career, Governor Carcieri was also a high school math teacher.

Governor Carcieri joins an Achieve board comprised of six governors and six leading CEOs. Other governors currently serving on the Achieve board include North Carolina Governor Mike Easley (co-chair), Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell (vice co-chair), Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

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Created by the nation's governors and business leaders, Achieve, Inc, is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that helps states raise academic standards, improve assessments and strengthen accountability to prepare all young people for postsecondary education, work and citizenship. Achieve was founded at the 1996 National Education Summit and has sponsored subsequent Summits in 1999, 2001 and 2005. At the 2005 Summit, Achieve launched the American Diploma Project Network, a coalition of 29 states committed to aligning high school expectations with the demands of college and the workplace. For more information, please visit www.achieve.org.