The Conference Board welcomes the discussions that Waiting for “Superman” is generating among so many stakeholders in the critical debate about the state of U.S. public education.

The business community has a crucial voice to raise and role to play in this discussion. A cry we hear around the world has reached a crescendo in the United States, where businesses can’t find U.S.-educated new entrants with the skills to power their workforces today, much less tomorrow. As employers of those who emerge from U.S. schools, as funders of many educational partnerships and programs, and as corporate citizens concerned about the well-being of employees, their families, and their communities, business has a major stake in helping U.S. schools produce a globally competitive workforce.

The Conference Board has long helped employers in all industries and sectors address evolving challenges in hiring, evaluating, and retaining the best talent. Our research explores a wide range of related topics, from evaluation tools based on common standards, metrics, and performance, to best practices for fostering workforce innovation, diversity, and social responsibility. Our Business and Education Council will soon produce a discussion guide that uses Waiting for “Superman” as a jumping-off point for education dialogues within companies. Through the Investment in America Forum, The Conference Board, the U.S. Army, and the Leader to Leader Institute engage in cross-sector collaboration that in recent years has focused increasingly on education and workforce readiness. The Conference Board has recently begun working with Americans for the Arts on new research that further explores the role of creativity/innovation in workforce skills, building on our groundbreaking 2006 report, Are They Really Ready to Work?

As Waiting for “Superman” gets even more people talking, The Conference Board will continue to help move this crucial discussion forward.

Jon Spector, CEO
David Learmond, Senior Advisor, Global Human Capital
The Conference Board