States Network

States Network on International Education in the Schools

Mission Statement: Raise awareness, encourage collaboration on, and stimulate needed policies and investments in K-12 education about world regions, languages, and cultures.

Goals of the Network:

• Assist States with formulating strategies that make the case at all levels – school, district, community, business, state representatives.

• Strengthen Leadership at Chief and Deputy level to help support the grassroots activities happening in the states.

• Support teachers by developing their capacity to teach about the world and by giving them the tools to do so.

A Brief History of the Network

The first States Institute on International Education in the Schools was held in 2002, with subsequent Institutes in 2003, 2004, and 2005, co-sponsored by the Business Roundtable, Committee for Economic Development, Council of Chief State School Officers, Education Commission of the States, National Association of State Board of Education, National Conference of State Legislatures, and National Governors Association. Over the four years, teams designated by Governors from more than thirty-five states and hundreds of leaders in education, policy and business attended. State leaders who attended the Institutes recognized the pressing need to begin preparing their students for the global age and since that time have developed statewide initiatives. For example: developing policies and action plans to promote international education in their schools, revising curriculum standards and teacher preparation to incorporate international content, harnessing technology, and expanding world language programs.

Current State Initiatives

To develop internationally competitive schools, more than 25 states continue working together through the States Network on International Education in the Schools. The network has focused on four areas of education reform to:

• Raise high school graduation requirements and state standards to motivate high achievement and include vital international knowledge and skills.

• Develop world language pipelines from K-16 that focus on critical languages, such as Chinese, and address the acute shortage of language teachers. • Expand teacher training to deliver relevant courses about the world.

• Use technology to expand the availability of international courses online and ensure that every school in the United States has a virtual link to schools in other countries.

As of January 2010 (see more detailed scorecard):

• 24 states have held international education summits

• 20 states have statewide task forces/committees

• 17 states have professional development initiatives

• 13 states have issued reports/plans

• 12 states are integrating international content into their standards

• 7 states have international education coordinators in their Dept. of Education

Benefits of Network Membership

The Network serves to support and mentor states working to graduate students who are globally competent and ready to compete and collaborate in the interconnected world.

• Quarterly conference calls update the Network on relevant topics in the world of international education and provide a forum for sharing ideas and best practices. • A biannual grant competition sponsored by the Longview Foundation provides funding for projects for individual or groups of Network states.

• The Network meets annually during the Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning annual conference.

• Publications, resources, and online materials further support Network efforts.

For questions on the States Network on International Education in the Schools, please be in touch with Heather Singmaster, Senior Program Officer, Asia Society at 212-327-9336 or hsingmaster@asiasociety.org. More information can be found at AsiaSociety.org/Education or http://www.longviewfdn.org/

What States are Doing

Talking Points for States Network

Why Global Competence?