Cable in the Classroom is pleased to present via podcast [MP3, 55MB], the February 20, 2007 edition of the U.S. Department of Education's Education News Parents Can Use.

To ensure that this and future generations of students have the math and science skills to be globally competitive, we must build a stronger foundation in these subjects in the early grades, and encourage more children to consider careers in math and science. This episode focuses on a series of targeted math and science-related investments the President has proposed under the American Competitiveness Initiative. As described in the program, the Initiative aims to strengthen K-12 math and science education in a number of innovative ways. It addresses questions such as:

• What is the “global economy” and what new demands does it place on our students and our schools?
• How does No Child Left Behind strengthen math and science? How will the 2007 science assessments help?
• How will the American Competitiveness Initiative help to improve math and science instruction, student competence and achievement, and ultimately close the achievement gaps?
• How can parents encourage their children to learn mathematics and science outside the classroom?
• What should students be learning in mathematics and science at the elementary, middle and high school grades? What must change in the way these subjects are currently being taught?
• How can we encourage all students, especially girls and minority students, to pursue math and science careers?

For more information about this program, please see the U.S. Department of Education's show notes.

Listeners may also be interested in the work of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, of which Cable in the Classroom is a founding board member, as well the Spring 2005 edition of Cable in the Classroom's Threshold (produced in partnership with NASA), which focused on the future of math and science education. In addition, science education is the theme of the March 2007 edition of Cable in the Classroom Magazine.

Technorati Tags: Parents, News, NCLB, US Department of Education, public domain, 21st century skills, competitiveness, math, science, spellings, CIC, Cable in the Classroom, cableintheclassroom