2008 Competition: Issues
U.S. Education and 2008 Election - Strong American Schools and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The U.S. education system is failing our children by not giving them the skills needed to succeed in the global workforce. We must act now because when American students get beat for the best jobs available; our economy suffers, affecting each one of us.
Seventy percent of American eighth graders are not proficient in reading — setting them behind for the rest of their lives. Failing to provide this critical skill is a clear sign that our schools are failing, and drastic measures must be taken to fix them.
The goal at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is that all students graduate from high school prepared to succeed in college, career and life. Strong American Schools, an initiative of the Gates Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, is devoted to helping make education a priority in the 2008 presidential election. We hope that candidates will emphasize education and tell voters how they intend to strengthen America's schools.
We want every presidential candidate to address three priorities that hold great promise for improving education:
- American education standards
- Effective teachers in every classroom
- More time and support for learning
To help get the message out we are asking for videos which best demonstrate the current crisis in education and why the candidates should make education a priority in their campaigns. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Strong American Schools will be evaluating all the entries on their ability to demonstrate the need for education reform and the current education crisis in our country. As our nation falls further and further behind on the international stage, what can the candidates do to lead change? The entry which best demonstrates the above criteria will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
In addition to the cash prize, the selected film will be posted on the Strong American Schools Web site, www.EDin08.com.
To learn more about the crisis and its impact on our nation, take a look at the following fact sheets.
- College Affordability
- Economic Competitiveness
- Ending Poverty
- Education: The Engine for Jobs
- Improving Education Leads to Huge Savings for American Tax Payers
- Minorities Deserve Answers
Strong American Schools, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is a nonpartisan campaign supported by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation promoting sound education policies for all Americans. SAS does not support or oppose any candidate for public office and does not take positions on legislation.
