“By 2016, four out of every ten new jobs will require at least some advanced education or training,” said Obama. "The relative decline of American education is untenable for our economy, unsustainable for our democracy, and unacceptable for our children. We cannot afford to let it continue. What is at stake is nothing less than the American dream.”

His vision for a 21st century education, delivered at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce yesterday, included the following (from the White House Blog):

1) "Investing in early childhood initiatives" like Head Start;
 
2) "Encouraging better standards and assessments" by focusing on testing plans that better fit our kids and the world they live in;
 
3) "Recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers" by giving incentives for a new generation of teachers and for new levels of excellence from all of our teachers.
 
4) "Promoting innovation and excellence in America’s schools" by supporting charter schools, reforming the school calendar and the structure of the school day.

Obama’s vision includes reform efforts that will not come without opposition. Yet, bridging these political divides is more important than ever. “Too many supporters of my party have resisted the idea of rewarding excellence in teaching with extra pay, even though we know it can make a difference in the classroom," he said. "Too many in the Republican Party have opposed new investments in early education, despite compelling evidence of its importance.” Currently, there is no merit-based pay for teachers in Washington, nor is there any funding for charter schools. Our state may need to rethink our direction if we hope to remain competitive with the rest of the nation: “Good teachers will be rewarded with more money for improved student achievement, and asked to accept more responsibilities for lifting up their schools,” said Obama.

Great teachers can make all the difference in a student’s education. And Obama reached out to Americans today in an effort to recruit them. “If you want to make your mark with a legacy that will endure – join the teaching profession. America needs you. We need you in our suburbs. We need you in our small towns. We need you in our inner cities. We need you in classrooms all across our country,” he said. Yes, there are many great teachers in Washington, and yes we do need more.

We also need to make sure we set high standards. Having low standards only shortchanges students. Said Obama, “The solution to low test scores is not lower standards—it’s tougher, clearer standards.” More work has to be done, and now is not the time to loosen up on this issue.

Obama’s vision for a 21st Century education, delivered within the first three months of his presidency, sheds light on innovative reform efforts that deserve attention. Failing to even consider ideas like merit-based teacher pay and charter schools would be a mistake. The future of education is uncertain—but if nothing is done—then nothing will change. So the question that remains, is what will Washington do?