Create West Virginia

West Virginia and regional students must be able to compete in a global marketplace; therefore, their learning must focus on the 4 C’s. This track will take you outside the traditional learning models and provide skills for incorporating critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity -- advancing innovation in public and informal education.

The Education Track for the 2009 CreateWV conference is focused on creating fundamentally different schools and the “ecology” of innovation required to do so. Last year, we made the argument that public education was being disrupted by the forces of technology, student-centric learning, accountability and financial sustainability. 

The Governor of Minnesota recently signed into law, a K-12 Omnibus Bill, that has several "Innovation" elements, particularly Site-Governed District Schools (see below.)  This is a perfect template for WV to copy as we try to get the idea of "Innovation Zones" as a tool in our public education system.  Much of the language and hard work to make this happen, was the result of Dr. Johnson and the team at Education Evolving, that have been so helpful in our efforts. 

The Charleston Gazette reports that West Virginians' poor health is tied to lower education levels, citing a study that showed correlation between self-reported health levels and their educational attainment. The report indicated that 3 out of 4 adults without a high school education reported they have poor health, while just 1 in 3 with a college degree reported the same. 

We are certainly hearing a lot about the bad economy. While West Virginia is said to have it better then most, there has been more then enough outlets sharing the news of layoffs in our home state.  One large indicator for the economy is the "unemployment rate ." It is a percentage of those in the labor force who are unemployed.

What issue do you tend to hear most about in the media as it relates to business leaders' top agenda items? More often than not, it seems like taxes and tax incentives dominate the discussion.

However, as the economy shifts towards a more knowledge-based foundation, talent, not taxes, becomes a larger issue.A recent legislative priorities survey of 600 business leaders in Arizona is the latest insight into this shift. From The Explorer newspaper: