• The European Union and China graduate more scientists and engineers every year than the United States.
• In 1995, the United States was #1 in the world in college graduation rate. In 2005, it was 15th.
• U.S. students rank 25th in math and 21st in science out of 30 developed countries.

THE QUESTION: IN TODAY’S GLOBAL ECONOMY, ARE U.S. STUDENTS READY TO COMPETE WITH THOSE AROUND THE WORLD?

• As many as 50 percent of teachers in the U.S. leave the profession within their first five years.
• Students of high performing teachers progress three time as fast as those with low performing teachers.
• The U.S. pays teachers less – as a percentage of the country’s GDP – than 25 other developed countries.

THE QUESTION: WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO GET GREAT TEACHERS INTO THE SCHOOLS, AND KEEP THEM THERE?

• 40 percent of our nation’s high schools don’t offer college prep classes.
• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce gives most states a C, D, or F in preparing kids for the workplace.
• In 1970, the average college graduate earned around 45 percent more than a high school graduate. Today, the gap is 84 percent.

THE QUESTION: ARE SCHOOLS GIVING ALL OF OUR KIDS THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED?

• American students are among the most tested in the world.
• State spending on standardized tests has almost tripled in the last six years to over a billion dollars.
• China, Singapore, and Finland and most European countries have national standards. The U.S. doesn’t.

THE QUESTION: IS ALL OF THIS TESTING DOING ANY GOOD?

• 45 out of 50 states have been sued for the way they fund their schools.
• 24 out of 50 states spend less per pupil in low income districts than affluent ones.
• The U.S. ranks at the bottom worldwide in percentage of federal spending on education.

THE QUESTION: WHAT’S THE BEST – AND FAIREST – WAY TO FUND OUR SCHOOLS?

Where We Stand highlights key obstacles and opportunities facing American schools. In addition to characters and stories in the film, we asked some of the nation’s top education experts their thoughts about the most pressing issues discussed in the program: global competition, technology in our schools, No Child Left Behind, the economy, teacher professional development, finance, student achievement, standardized testing and more.

In March 2008, New York Public Television hosted the third annual Teaching & Learning Celebration in New York City. The Celebration is a two-day professional development conference for educators.

Here you will find excerpts from the panel discussion, Where We Stand: America’s Schools in the 21st Century. Panelists include Judy Woodruff, Roy Romer, Michael Flanagan, Billy Cannaday, Andreas Schleicher and Kim Oliver.

The fourth annual Teaching & Learning Celebration will be held on March 6 and March 7, 2009. Please visit their website for more information.

http://www.thirteencelebration.org/