The BusinessHigher Education Forum BHEF

1
The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF)

• Who We Are
• A non-profit membership organization of leaders
  from American businesses, colleges and
  universities, museums, and foundations. The
  purpose of the group is to join together to
  examine issues of national importance and, when
  appropriate, to speak with one voice by issuing
  reports, white papers, and policy positions, and
  by sponsoring roundtable discussions with elected
  public officials, representatives from both the
  corporate and the academic communities, and with
  the general public.

2
A Commitment to Americas Future Responding to
the Crisis in Mathematics Science EducationIf
America is to sustain its international
competitiveness, its national security, and the
quality of life of its citizens, then it must
move quickly to achieve significant improvements
in the participation of all students in
mathematics and science.BHEF Co-Chairs of the
Mathematics and Science Education
InitiativeWarren J. Baker, President,
California Polytechnic State UniversityL. Dennis
Smith, President Emeritus, University of
NebraskaWilliam H. Swanson, Chairman CEO,
Raytheon Company
3
BHEFs Purpose

• To propose a nationwide plan to improve
• the mathematics and science education
• of all students

4
A Commitment to a Nationwide Plan

• ? Nationwide but not national in scope
• ? Systemic in design (P-16)
• ? Broadly collaborative
• ? Broadly accountable
• ? Tied to public information and engagement

5
What BHEF Found

• Symptoms of a multi-dimensional problem in
  mathematics and science
• ? Increasing workforce demands
• ? Decreasing baccalaureate productivity
• ? Disappointing P-12 performance
• ? Critical and growing P-12 teacher shortage

6
What BHEF Found

• Multiple Sources of the Problem
• ? A disjointed education system
• ? Absence or misalignment of key system
  components standards curriculum assessment
  teacher quality accountability
• ? Lack of high-level business involvement
• ? Low priority of teacher preparation by higher
  education
• ? An uniformed/misinformed public

7
What BHEF Concluded

• Planning must address the following issues
• Initial focus must be at the state level
• All key system components must be addressed
  simultaneously
• P-16 education must be treated as a single,
  seamless system
• Improvement requires collaborative leadership
  (business, education, policy)

8
What BHEF Concluded

• Planning must address the following issues
• Planning must be regularly assessed and reported
• Improvement efforts must reach all students
• Teachers are Americas prime asset
• Effective change is long-term and continuous

9
What BHEF Proposes

• A Four-Part Action Plan
• ? Action 1 Establish leadership (P-16)
  education Councils in each state
• ? Action 2 Simultaneously address and align
  five key components of a P-12 education system
• ? Action 3 Engage business and higher education
  in more effective reform roles
• ? Action 4 Implement coordinated national and
  state-specific public information programs

10
Roles for Stakeholders
Higher Education
11
Whats New in the BHEF Plan?

• ? New and collaborative roles by business, higher
  education, and policy leaders
• ? Significant and sustained improvement at the
  state level
• ? Simultaneously attention to all key components
  of a states P-16 education system
• ? P-16 accountability for P-12 outcomes
• ? Simultaneous attention to all four parts of the
  BHEF plan

12
What is BHEF Providing?

• Four Resources
• ? The BHEF Brochure gives an overview of the
  crisis in mathematics and science education in
  the United States and outlines proposed
  solutions.
• ? The BHEF Main Report presents a four-part plan
  for systemic reform in P-12 mathematics and
  science education.
• ? The BHEF Handbook provides P-16 council leaders
  with a toolkit of background information and
  proposed procedures for structuring and guiding
  implementation of BHEFs action plan.
• ? The BHEF Website (www.bhef.com) provides ready
  access to all resources and to BHEF staff.