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I am calling on a new generation of Americans to step forward and serve our country in our classrooms. If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make the most of your talents and dedication; if you want to make your mark with a legacy that will endure - join the teaching profession. America needs you.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will use only one test when deciding what ideas to support with your precious tax dollars. It's not whether an idea is liberal or conservative, but whether it works.

the first pillar in reforming our schools - investing in early childhood initiatives.

Early Learning Challenge Gran

better standards and assessments

They are spending less time teaching things that don't matter, and more time teaching things that do

challenge our states to adopt world-class standards that will bring our curriculums into the 21st century.

develop standards and assessments that don't simply measure whether students can fill in a bubble on a test, but whether they possess 21st century skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, entrepreneurship and creativity.

money is tied to results

using data to track how much progress a student is making and where that student is struggling

third pillar of reform -- recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers.

politics and ideology have too often trumped our progress.

extra pay to Americans who teach math and science

if a teacher is given a chance but still does not improve, there is no excuse for that person to continue teaching

fourth part of America's education strategy - promoting innovation and excellence in America's schools.

I call on states to reform their charter rules, and lift caps on the number of allowable charter schools,

We can no longer afford an academic calendar designed when America was a nation of farmers who needed their children at home plowing the land at the end of each day.

expand effective after-school programs

rethink the school day to incorporate more time - whether during the summer or through expanded-day programs

let us all make turning around our schools our collective responsibility as Americans. That will require new investments in innovative ideas. That is why my budget invests in developing new strategies to make sure at-risk students don't give up on their education; new efforts to give dropouts who want to return to school the help they need to graduate; and new ways to put those young men and women who have left school back on a pathway to graduation.

The fifth part of America's education strategy is providing every American with a quality higher education - whether it's college or technical training.

simplify federal college assistance forms

the goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by the year 2020.

Adults of all ages need opportunities to earn new degrees and skills

bottom line is that no government policies will make any difference unless we also hold ourselves more accountable as parents.

businesses now require workers who can handle more responsibility and contribute more to productivity and innovation

"It has become apparent that there isn't a lack of employees who are technically proficient, but a lack of employees who can adequately communicate and collaborate, innovate, and think critically," said Ken Kay, P21 president.

"21st Century Skills, Education, and Competitiveness"

"I learn how to take in constructive criticism," says thirteen-year-old Tiranne

image quality, audio, editing, and content

Using tools such as the social-network-creation site Ning, teachers can easily develop their own networks, Mosea says. "It is better to create your own," he argues. "If a teacher creates his or her own network, students will post as if their teacher is watching them, and they'll tend to be more safe. "You can build social networks around the curriculum," Mosea adds, "so you can use them as a teaching resource or another tool." An online social network is another tool -- but it's a tool with an advantage: It wasn't just imposed by teachers; the students have chosen it.