Yesterday, governors from both parties concluded that their “children aren't ready for the 21st century, their workers aren't trained for the new jobs created every day, and their businesses aren't competing as strongly as they must to keep ahead.” They also decided that the best way to foster an innovative American culture is to innovate and reform our educational system. As the AP reported,

The only way to thrive amid globalization is to change, and states are past due for a sweeping transformation of education, worker training and economic development . . .

The fact that they’ve come to these conclusions is big news. Policy-wonks, businessmen, and academics have noted the need for innovative change for a while – Bill Gates, for example, famously called American education obsolete. But the political will just hasn’t been there. Perhaps now that the governors have recognized the need for a transformative approach to education – one that looks beyond the old debates of funding or privatization – our federal officials in Washington will follow suit.

It’s time for a national conversation on how to transform our educational system. Such a conversation will necessarily require that we all think outside the box. Liberals will have to work with businesses; conservatives will have to accept government funding of research; teachers will have to acknowledge accountability; parents will have to embrace change. That kind of conversation will be difficult but it’s necessary.