SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today issued the following statement in response to "Tough Choices or Tough Times," (Outside Source; PDF; 2,181KB; 28pp.) a report released today by the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce:

"I commend the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce for this important contribution to the national discussion on what it will take to prepare students to succeed in a global economy. The commission makes several provocative and far-reaching recommendations. Some of these I already have embraced, such as the establishment of quality universal preschool and increasing both rigor and relevance in the classroom. Other ideas advanced in the report are currently under consideration by researchers and education policymakers, such as new ways of funding our schools to ensure both adequacy and efficiency of resources.

"While some of the report’s conclusions and recommendations will be highly controversial, by encouraging us to rethink our traditions and engage in comprehensive dialog, the commission performs a valuable service.

"As I said in my State of Education address last February, we must be willing to rethink the way we deliver education services if our state and nation are to survive, let alone thrive, in this rapidly changing, technology-driven world. While change to a system as large and complex as public education is difficult to achieve, flexibility and agility are now imperatives. Today, all students must have the rigorous academic foundation once reserved only for the college-bound, and all must be prepared to be lifelong learners, creative problem solvers, and analytical thinkers."