Ten Leadership Roles in Education Reform*

Business leader activities will vary according to the situation in a particular state (e.g., the status of the reform effort, involvement of the business community, relations with various constituency groups, etc.). But regardless of where things stand, business leaders can contribute most by doing what they naturally do best: making things happen.

To ensure that valuable business leader time is focused on activities that will make a significant difference, the Business Roundtable recommends that each business leader identify a senior-level associate to work closely with the state's reform initiative. While business leaders can make significant contributions to education reform without spending large amounts of time, someone in the company (with direct access to the business leader) must become deeply involved.

The first step is to understand as much as possible about the status of education reform in your state by talking with knowledgeable people in business, education and government.

Here are some examples of how business leaders have advanced education reform in their states - including the adoption of new practices within their own companies:

1. Chairing the state's reform coalition - or convincing another major business leader to do so - and setting the education reform agenda for business.
2. Influencing the selection of a chief state education officer and or appointees to a state board of education.
3. Convincing the governor to play a greater leadership role in standards-based reform.
4. Letting state officials know that the quality of education in the state is an important factor in where company facilities are sited.
5. Mobilizing a campaign to build public support for education reform.
6. Meeting with skeptical state legislators to explain why this reform will help create and sustain jobs in the state.
7. Making timely telephone calls to governmental leaders.
8. Speaking out through speeches and media interviews on the importance of education reform.
9. Influencing the outcome of a governor's race in which the candidates took opposing positions on continuing education reform.
10. Setting an example for peer companies by publicizing the adoption of policies that mandate the use of student transcripts in hiring (or other internal policies that encourage education reform). Using corporate contributions/philanthropy to support standards-based reform efforts in states and local communities.

There is another important role that a business leader can play in furthering education reform: acting as the company's "chief education officer," sending a clear signal that the company values education reform and mobilizing company resources - especially employees - on behalf of that objective. Leveraging such resources can markedly increase a company's influence in the education reform arena.

*This document draws heavily upon "How Business Can Influence School Reform in Each State" from CEO Education Reform Orientation Guide (1999) published by the Business Roundtable and is used with permission. It has been slightly modified for use with both business and non-business audiences while, at the same time, helping non-business audiences to gain understanding of the business viewpoint regarding involvement in education.