John Engler
How States Should Respond

November 21, 2002 Washington, D.C. --
Good afternoon. I would like to join Governor Jim Hunt, my co-chair of the National Coalition on Asia and International Studies in the Schools, in welcoming the twenty- two state teams attending the first States Institute on International Education in the Schools. This is an historic occasion. I want to thank the Asia Society, the National Governors Association, the Education Commission of the States, and the Council of Chief State School Officers for their leadership in addressing the international knowledge gap that must be closed if our students are to succeed in the 21st Century.

Last year I was delighted to stand with some of you including Jim Hunt, Ambassador Platt, and Gil Grosvenor of the National Geographic Society at the release of the report Asia in the Schools. That seminal study made it clear that knowledge of Asia and other world regions is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity. One in six jobs nationwide are tied to international trade and investment; that percentage will grow significantly in the decades ahead. Our states schools must prepare students for a global age where knowledge flows freely and rapidly. Where innovation demands a breadth of vision, and an ability to solve problems, which emerge halfway across the earth. The old industrial model has been retired in enterprise; our schools must do the same!

In order to promote strategic and economic opportunities that will make our nation safer and more prosperous, every student will need a solid grounding of knowledge about the history of the US and our vital democratic institutions. But we must also integrate knowledge of world history, geography, science and technology, world languages, literature and international affairs into the school day. In sum, such learning must become an essential part of education reform.

That is why I heeded the call of the National Commission and established the nation's first state Commission on Asia in the Schools this past March. The Michigan Commission, consisting of a distinguished group of our state's corporate, academic, and education leaders, including members from our growing Asian-American communities, conducted a comprehensive review of Michigan's ties with Asia and of what Michigan students know about the world outside the United States. What we found did not surprise our corporate community. Our state's economic prosperity is now closely tied to Asia. We already export $4 billion a year to Asia. Most of our multinationals like Ford, GM, Dow and Whirlpool are already competing hard to expand global market share. So are our thriving small businesses.

But the excellent Commission report, which was released last week, found that we must understand Asia for other reasons as well. Asia is home to 60% of the world's population and in Michigan, our Asian-American population grew by a whopping 70% over the past decade. As our schools have become more diverse, the Commission found that they have not yet made the adjustments necessary to embrace and understand the growing cultural diversity. The Commission also reported on what is currently taught about international subjects in our schools, what our standards, benchmarks, and assessments require, and how to improve their scope and substance. The recommendations offer a comprehensive blueprint to greatly improve the way we prepare our students for the world that awaits them.

As the state teams gather at your institute over these next three days, I applaud you efforts and urge every governor to set in motion a similar "audit" process to the one we have just completed. Each state will vary the process, but by establishing a common "baseline" of information about how much students know about Asia and other world regions, we will be able to highlight best practices and policies, and accelerate the national impact of this work in the coming years.

Madhu Anderson, our director of the Michigan Commission on Asia in the Schools will now present the findings and recommendations of the group. I thank you all for your commitment to these vitally important issues. And Madhu, I look forward to hearing about what other states are doing when you get back home.

John Engler is Governor of Michigan (through January 2003).

LINK
Report and Recommendations of the Michigan Commission on Asia in the Schools