Theodore R. Kulongoski           Governor

 

May 19, 2005

 

 

Dear Board Member:

 

I know that you are as committed as I am to ensuring that we build Oregon’s educational system into an enterprise that will enable all Oregonians to succeed in the future.

 

We live in an era of globalization. Our citizens need the Oregon public educational enterprise to prepare them for careers in a world market as well as for citizenship in our democracy. We need to ensure that our state and communities provide education that is personal and local and that is competitive on an international scale.

 

If we’re going to succeed in the global economy we have to find a niche.  Oregon’s niche is to have the best educated, best trained, most skilled population of any state in America.  That means we must deliver a first rate education to students of every age and knock down any barriers to education for all of us.

 
I am absolutely convinced that Oregon’s economic future rises or falls on the financial, political and moral commitment we make to pre-K through 20 education.  Nothing will put the Oregon economy into overdrive faster than a stable, well-funded and accessible pre-K through 20 education system. I am committed to improving the educational enterprise in my governorship by making strategic investments in our schools so that students get the quality education they need – and Oregon businesses get the highly skilled workforce they need.

 

This task is daunting but not impossible. We need to change how we fund, budget and use resources for education. We need to take a hard look at the systems we need to change, align, and create. We will need to take a serious look at how we use technology and data to assist learning. Your draft plan is a solid beginning to all of these problems.

 

I need your leadership to make our educational enterprise one that prepares all Oregonians for the world ahead. I need your passion, heart, mind, influence, courage and commitment to move all of the stakeholders to a student-centered enterprise that embraces a future for all of us.

 

I look forward to what is ahead.