US Chamber of Commerce

There is no doubt that the U.S. education system impacts every sector of our society. Some of the connections and consequences on the business community are easily understood, such as the impact of a widening skills gap. Some connections however, are not so obvious.

The recent release of The Council on Foreign Relations’ (CFR) report, U.S. Education Reform and National Security, has people talking about the implications of our education system on the country’s security.

To refresh, the report finds that the lack of student preparedness poses threats on five national security fronts:

• economic growth and competitiveness
• physical safety
• intellectual property
• U.S. global awareness
• U.S. unity and cohesion

The authors argue that the United States' failure to educate its students leaves them unprepared to compete and threatens the country's ability to thrive in a global economy and maintain its leadership role. Too many young people are not employable in an increasingly high-skilled and global economy, and too many are not qualified to join the military because they are physically unfit, have criminal records, or have an inadequate level of education.

On June 14, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, in conjunction with CFR and Raytheon, will discuss and analyze the report at "A Smarter America = A Safer America." This event will link the business community and their commitment to improving the education system with the global security issues that CFR has identified.

Join us at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to be a part of the discussion.

To view the agenda & register for this event click here.

Cecilia Retelle is Senior Director of Policy for ICW.