Education in the 21st century: meeting the challenges of a changing world - a conference sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

During the twentieth century, the United States was a leader in raising the educational attainment of its population. This important achievement contributed to national productivity growth and extended economic opportunity to formerly disadvantaged groups in society. Now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, U.S. institutions of higher learning retain an excellent reputation for quality. Less confidence exists, however, in our educational system's ability to meet broad economic and social objectives adequately. This uncertainty stems in part from the shifting global economy and the evolving nature of employment. These doubts also reflect the legacy of widening income inequality over the past quarter century. The concern about the U.S. educational system's ability to meet the challenges of a changing world is sparking widespread efforts to reform elementary and secondary schooling. ; This conference brought together experts from a variety of perspectives to analyze current institutional and financial arrangements in the area of education, with the goal of identifying the nature of the shortcomings and appropriate ameliorative actions. Although the primary focus was expected to be on the U.S. educational system, international perspectives provided evidence on the degree to which educational challenges are being driven by changes in the worldwide economy, as well as on the strengths and weaknesses of alternative educational systems.