TRAVELOCITY JOBS

"In the past we've gotten around the shortcomings of our education system by in effect importing brains," explained Steve Forbes, president and CEO of Forbes, Inc. "Look at our graduate schools; an extremely high proportion are students from overseas. We are like a baseball team that has a lousy farm system, but we're able to get the players we need from other teams."

Reversing The Trend.

1. Business leaders have suggested the key to improving America's schools is to introduce a concept that has helped drive the country's private sector for years: Competition.
2. "It is no accident that our colleges and universities are so good. They compete," said Leo Melamed, chairman emeritus of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. "They are competing for the best students and the best teachers. Unfortunately, that is not true in our elementary and high schools where the minimum standard seems to be sufficient," Melamed said. Melamed and others say that interjecting school choice could help change that. "With choice you get accountability; schools have to demonstrate they are doing right by the students," Forbes said. "Consumers ultimately want the best product and parents want the best for their children. If they have choice…lo and behold, even government-run schools will get their act together because otherwise they lose students and lose money."

Engaging Corporate America. While the majority of business leaders understand the importance of the free market and the impact competition has in the economy, a much smaller percentage supports school choice. Melamed feels that educating these leaders more on school choice will help to change that.

So how does the school choice movement become a priority?

"The message needs to be clear that we are losing ground in competition to other world economies…if the trend continues, it won't be a happy ending," Melamed said.