2. Why is this problem important?

If you could trace the root invention(s) of many of our states most profitable and established companies back through all the marketing claims and sales literature, back before the customer trials, back before the enhancements and refinements, back before the scale-up to manufacturing, and the investment of seed capital, you would probably find a somewhat quirky "engineer." While it is easy to forget the quiet, introverted, yes even nerdy "inventor" once the juggernaut of a Fortune 500 business picks up on an idea, we should never forget there are usually a few key patents with a dash of applied science deep in the kernel of every billion dollar business. In the corporate folk tales within companies like 3M, Medtronic, General Mills and Cargill, there is always the story of the "idea." The leap that took the company into a novel space full of growth and opportunity. Given our concern for the economic engine of this state, we should do everything feasible to identify, nurture, and empower the young, quirky scientists in our school systems who show the potential for these "leaps" (data has shown many scientists and engineers are not sequential learners and can often struggle in a regimented classroom). It is important because just a few innovative minds can seed the growth of our state's innovation-based economy.

3. How could the Citizens League make a unique contribution?

To paraphrase Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary for Education, the call for improved education for math, science, engineering, and design comes exclusively from industry. She references a Gallup Poll which found most parents see no problems with their children's science education. So while the link between competitiveness and education has been recently accepted by national policy wonks (see President Bush's "The American Competitive Initiative" at http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2006/aci/index.html or AeA's "Losing the Competitive Advantage? The Challenge for Science and Technology in the United States" at http://www.aeanet.org/publications/idjj_CompetitivenessMain0205.asp or National Academy's "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" at http://www.nap.edu/execsumm_pdf/11463.pdf ), the unfulfilled opportunity within Minnesota for the Citizens League is to develop and endorse a "actionable program" parents, taxpayers, legislators, and kids could understand and embrace.

4. What are prospects that project would yield recommendations that could be implemented and have a major impact on the problem?

Several states already operate statewide institutes, such as North Carolina (http://www.ncssm.edu/) , Kentucky (http://www.wku.edu/academy/), and Texas (http://www.tams.unt.edu/). Other states have left the opportunity to charter schools, like High Tech High (http://www.hightechhigh.org/) or similar programs funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In the UK, the inventor of Dyson vacuum cleaner recently announced collaboration between industry and government to tackle the issue (http://www.dysonschool.com/). Given the early adopters actions listed above, the likelihood is great the policy development effort would result in recommendations that could be implemented. However, to have a major impact on the problem across the entire state, I believe the effort must be integrated into the education system at the state level.

5. Explain how this problem can be addressed by data, research, and reason? Identify probable sources for data and research.

There are many metrics in this area for informed data analysis (college entrance scores, standardized testing, graduation rates).

6. Explain how this proposal can be framed without partisan bias.

The issue of improving high school education for all students, and optimizing it for our state's most gifted young design thinkers, has no significant partisan bias.