Eastern Arizona Courier - Napolitano Elected to Chair of National Governors Association

Eastern Arizona Courier - Napolitano Elected to Chair of National Governors Association

Eastern Arizona Courier
Adam Gaub

Gov. Janet Napolitano is making history and pushing forward a new initiative as the new chair of the National Governors Asssociation.

Napolitano (D- Ariz.) is the first woman to hold the chair position in the 98-year history of the organization.

"I guess after 98 years it's about time," Napolitano said. She said she is looking forward to leading the group of governors because of the work that can get done on a non-partisan level.

Napolitano said one of the key issues for the NGA, vice-chaired by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, is the use of the National Guard.

"We are leery of the federal government's overreach of the National Guard," Napolitano said.

As part of becoming the chair, a role Napolitano assumed at the NGA's closing plenary session on Monday, the Arizona governor has proposed a year-long initiative focused on improving the preparedness of America's youth for the job market.

The initiative, Innovation America, hones in on improving learning in math and science in schools while partnering with businesses and corporations to promote innovation. Napolitano said ways to bring a better environment of math and science learning into the classroom are being explored.

"You've got to prepare students at the earliest level," Napolitano said. "Every year has to be dedicated to producing a graduate."

Those graduates, Napolitano said, need to be well-versed in math and science to be able to compete in the growing global economy.

The Innovation America initiative uses a 2005 study showing fewer than two-fifths of fourth- and eighth-graders in the U.S. performed at or above a proficient level in mathematics and science.

Tests like the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), most recently conducted in 2003 and set to be conducted again in 2007, have shown American students falling further back in the pack of the approximately 50 nations that will participate in the 2007 testing.

U.S. fourth-graders in 2003 placed 12th in mathematics, falling behind countries like England, Belgium, Japan and top-scoring Singapore. The fourth-graders scored better in science, netting a sixth-place finish, but still finishing behind many Asian nations.

Napolitano wants students, who she said are "excited to learn," to be able to apply what they are learning in math and science classrooms to the betterment of this nation.

"It's more than just memorizing numbers and equations," Napolitano said. "It's a lot of different things."

Napolitano said one of the positive aspects the Innovation America campaign will build upon is the use of projects, such as the FIRST robotics project at Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix, that has sent teams to compete nationally.

The initiative will also focus on developing innovation specific to each state's economy, partnering with industry and business to continue pushing America forward in an area Napolitano said the country should always be No. 1.

According to statistics provided in her initiative, only four of the top 10 patent-receiving companies in the United States were from America. In addition, China overtook the United States in 2004 as the leading exporter of information-technology products, causing concern the nation may be losing its current edge as the world-leader in innovation.

Upon the announcement of Innovation America, Napolitano stated, "The goal of my chair's initiative is to educate our students to be innovators and to carry that spirit of innovation through their university experience and into the workforce.

"Math and science education teaches true problem-solving skills that, in turn, will increase our nation's capacity for innovation in virtually every field."

Napolitano served as vice-chair of the NGA during the 2005-06 program year and worked with then-chair Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas on his Healthy America campaign.

http://www.janet2006.com/news/view_article.cfm?ID=49