Obama To Introduce Legislation to Help American Students Compete in a 21st Century Economy

During a speech Monday at an education forum in Chicago, U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) said that he will introduce legislation to create 20 Innovation Districts that would be given more resources to try substantial new reforms in teaching to help better prepare American students to compete in a 21st century economy. Obama said the Innovation Districts will be chosen from school districts around the country based on their plans to increase student achievement and place highly qualified teachers in their classrooms.

"Today we are failing too many of our children," said Obama. "We're sending them out into a 21st century economy by sending them through the doors of 20th century schools. We now live in a world where the most valuable skill you can sell is knowledge. Revolutions in technology and communication have created an entire economy of high-tech, high-wage jobs that can be located anywhere there's an internet connection. And today, a child in Chicago is not only competing for jobs with one in Boston, but thousands more in Bangalore and Beijing who are being educated longer and better than ever before."