At events scheduled in Chicago and Springfield, Advance Illinois releaseda report, "The State We're In: Advancing Public Education in Illinois," thatshows Illinois education lags behind the rest of the country at a time whenthe U.S. is itself dropping behind much of the world.

"Illinois public education is falling behind the rest of the world at analarming rate and we must act decisively, now, with sweeping, systemic changeto get back on the path to future prosperity," said former Illinois GovernorJim Edgar, co-chair of Advance Illinois. "This is an urban as well as a ruralproblem, and a Downstate as well as a Chicago challenge. We need to make everystudent college-ready, career-ready and world-ready. We know by looking aroundthe country that it can be done."

The report issued today documents that just 22 percent of high schoolstudents are college-ready across the four ACT testing areas, and fewer than30 percent of Illinois students demonstrate proficiency on the NationalAssessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests, placing the state at or belownational averages in all areas and at all grade levels. National studiescompiled on the organization's Web site (http://www.advanceillinois.org) showthe requirements of the Illinois Student Achievement Test (ISAT) are wellbelow similar tests in other states, and that our standards need to besharpened and raised.

"State standards and graduation requirements should help students getready for college and careers, but they don't," said former U.S. CommerceSecretary Bill Daley, co-chair of Advance Illinois. "Sadly, that means that ifyour child is reaching what we define as proficiency in Illinois, he or she isnot necessarily equipped for life after school. We must apply an impartial andresearch-driven approach that will focus on bold and measurable solutions forimproving public education. It has worked in other states and it will workhere."

School reform means not only improving schools but driving home themessage that students and parents must share in the responsibility.

"School reform begins at home," said Patricia Watkins, executive directorof the TARGET Area Community Development Corporation. "We must come to therescue of schools and teachers, but students need to be more invested in theirfuture and parents must be more invested in the academic lives of theirchildren."

The report demonstrates the urgent need to fix state policies thatdetermine the quality of Illinois schools. Within the next six years, 89percent of jobs in Illinois' fastest-growing sectors will require someeducation or training beyond high school. But only 56 percent of Illinoisadults over the age of 25 have any post-secondary education, creating asignificant economic and employment gap.

"Our state's businesses, large and small, need employees who can meet jobrequirements that grow more and more demanding," said James Bell, Presidentand CFO, The Boeing Company. "Without a well-educated workforce, businesseslose market share, which means employees can lose income or even their jobs,and entire communities suffer."

The Advance Illinois board of directors also includes Joseph Fatheree,Illinois Teacher of the Year 2006-2007, from Effingham High School. Hebelieves reform means ensuring teachers are empowered to help studentssucceed.

"Great teachers want accountability and fair standards," said Fatheree."My personal experience and national research show teachers are above all elselooking for stronger administrative and community support that will allow themto be more effective. That means having the tools we need in the classroom.That means well-trained principals. That means parents who are involved inhomework."

Advance Illinois plans consultations with state and national experts and a"listening tour" across Illinois over coming months. The group plans to issuemajor new policy recommendations to strengthen the state's education systemnext year.

"The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and our philanthropic partners havegreat confidence that Advance Illinois' can take on and solve this very realand serious problem," said Steven Seleznow, Deputy Director of EducationPrograms at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "We must all find ways to useour resources to seek out strong solutions that can ignite change."

Illinois' lack of preparedness is made more acute by the fact the statehas one of the largest achievement gaps in the nation. The gap in math scoresbetween poor and non-poor students is the second-highest among all 50 states.The gap between African-American and white students is the 6th largest among43 states in a recent study mentioned in the new report.

"When they leave school, our students are no longer competing with eachother for jobs, they are competing with graduates from around the world," saidMiguel del Valle, City Clerk of Chicago and former chair of the IllinoisSenate Education Committee who sits on Advance Illinois' board. "AdvanceIllinois will help ensure our students are prepared by serving as a decisiveindependent voice representing the public interest."

Illinois' average or below average ranking nationwide is all the moreworrisome because the U.S. itself has slipped significantly on worldwideeducation measurements. The U.S. has been surpassed by other industrializedcountries in terms of the percentage of adults with a college degree. And overthe past five years, the U.S. has lost ground in achievement as well, droppingfour spots among 29 developed nations in terms of math (from 20th to 24th) andscience (from 15th to 19th).

"Along with much of the nation, our state has moved too slowly and madetoo few changes to an outdated education system," said Dennis Hastert, formerSpeaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a member of the AdvanceIllinois board of directors. "Fixing it must be a statewide effort that isbased on similar, successful models in other states. It is not just a moralimperative; it is also the surest path to preserving economic growth andsocial freedom."

While Advance Illinois will not issue policy recommendations until nextyear, existing research shows that there are best practices in other statesand other nations that can boost student achievement.

"Best practices from around the world boil down to common sense: we needto attract and support top-notch educators, must demand the highest standardsfor instruction, be clear about what success looks like and ensure our schoolsdeliver the best possible experience for every child," said Robin Steans,Executive Director of Advance Illinois. "That's not yet the case in Illinois."

Third-party endorsements for Advance Illinois:

Mary Ellen Guest, Executive Director, A+ Illinois: "A+ Illinois welcomesthe leadership, resources, and commitment of Advance Illinois to the fight foreducation reform. The group's analysis of the condition of Illinois educationbrings a renewed sense of urgency to our missions."

Jerry Stermer, President, Voices for Illinois Children: "Voices forIllinois Children is thrilled to have a powerful and committed ally focusedsolely on the interests of students."

Jeff Mays, President, Illinois Business Roundtable: "The Illinois businesscommunity applauds Advance Illinois' focus on finding solutions that bringaccountability, efficiency and measurable results to improve educationaloutcomes."

Jo Anderson, Executive Director, Illinois Education Association: "Teachersare on the front-lines, and know better than anyone the crisis in educationfacing Illinois families. Advance Illinois can be a force to help ensure weare informed by the most recent, rigorous research and best practicesnationally as we address the crisis and move forward together."

Contact: Lena Parsons Hill & Knowlton for Advance Illinois 312-255-3073 or 773-425-0725 SATELLITE COORDINATES (Tuesday, Nov. 18): Time: 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. CT Satellite: Galaxy 19 (C-Band) Transponder: 13 Orbital slot 97 degrees WL Uplink Frequency: 6185 (H) Downlink Frequency: 3960 (V) AnalogSOURCE Advance Illinois