House Resolution 112 - Introduced

PAG LIN

                                    H.R. ________ S.R. ________


  1  1                HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.    
  1  2                   BY  WISE and LUKAN
  1  3 A Resolution to support the Strong American Schools
  1  4    Campaign, a nonpartisan project of Rockefeller
  1  5    Philanthropy Advisors.
  1  6    WHEREAS, throughout our state's history, the people
  1  7 of Iowa have always made education a priority; and
  1  8    WHEREAS, Iowans' resolve for student achievement
  1  9 through learning and performance have made Iowa's
  1 10 educational system among the most successful in the
  1 11 nation; and
  1 12    WHEREAS, the State of Iowa has made the commitment
  1 13 to place good teachers in its classrooms and to
  1 14 provide its children with the skills necessary to be
  1 15 successful in their community and the workforce; and
  1 16    WHEREAS, the prospects of our nation and our
  1 17 children depend on the strength of its schools in a
  1 18 time of change when competition in the world is
  1 19 demanding that Iowans do more to better prepare their
  1 20 children to compete in today's high=tech global
  1 21 economy; and
  1 22    WHEREAS, America's schools are not keeping pace
  1 23 with the demands of today's world, often failing to
  1 24 prepare students for college and for careers; and
  1 25    WHEREAS, our nation's prosperity is increasingly
  1 26 dependent on its workers' skill levels and knowledge,
  1 27 and unless there is dramatic improvement, according to
  1 28 an analysis by the Alliance for Excellent Education,
  1 29 more than 12 million students will drop out of school
  1 30 nationwide over the next decade, resulting in a $3
  2  1 trillion blow to our nation's economy; and
  2  2    WHEREAS, when compared to 29 other member countries
  2  3 of the Organisation of Economic Co=Operation and
  2  4 Development, United States 15=year=old students rank
  2  5 15th in reading, 18th in science, 24th in problem
  2  6 solving, and 24th in mathematics as measured by the
  2  7 Programme for International Student Assessment in
  2  8 2003; and
  2  9    WHEREAS, over two=thirds of new jobs in America's
  2 10 economy require a postsecondary education as stated by
  2 11 United States Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao in
  2 12 2006; and
  2 13    WHEREAS, millions of Americans live in poverty, and
  2 14 while other factors contribute to the problems created
  2 15 by living in poverty, education is integral to
  2 16 improving economic opportunity in America; and
  2 17    WHEREAS, if elected officials truly want to end
  2 18 poverty, they must provide all students access to
  2 19 strong K=12 schools; NOW THEREFORE,
  2 20    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
  2 21 That the House of Representatives supports the Strong
  2 22 American Schools Campaign and recognizes the need for
  2 23 leadership at the local, state, and national levels in
  2 24 order to improve this nation's schools.
  2 25 LSB 6537HH 82
  2 26 kh/rj/5