Published: October 19, 2009 10:50 am      

Commissioner: U.S. needs to regain status as education leader

SUMMIT — Eastern Kentucky schools are good examples of how the United States can regain its lead in education, the state’s top education official said Friday.

Schools in the region typically outperform those in urban areas and do it with less money, said Kentucky Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday.

Holliday made his remarks to a gathering of top educators, business representatives and legislators at Summit Elementary School.

Although the U.S. led the world in high school and college graduates for most of the 20th century, it has slipped for the past two decades, he said. America now ranks 21st of 28 industrialized nations in high school graduates and 11th in college graduates.

Regaining the lead is essential but won’t be easy, Holliday said. “The challenge to be leaders in the world is going to be more difficult because of changes in demographics and increased poverty levels,” he said.

Nevertheless, the goal for Kentucky’s schools must be that all students graduate from high school ready to go on to college or into the workforce, he said.

Schools have to focus on rigorous academic standards, effective assessments, top-quality teachers and effective principals, he said.

Teachers are at the top of the list, at least for parents, he said. “All parents want one thing — caring, effective teachers.”

Another point of focus must be middle and high schools, he said. Most recent accountability data show that just 20 percent of schools in the state made adequate yearly progress. Boyd County was among those, he noted.

Turning the statistic around starts with a greater emphasis on literacy. “Without that foundation, you can’t do anything else.”

MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2652.