This report builds on the findings of Measuring Up 2004: The National Report Card on Higher Education, published by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Cracks in the Education Pipeline presents a forceful argument for a renewed commitment to higher education. The report discusses trends in college preparation, participation, completion, affordability, and benefits, and provides action steps that business leaders can take to help launch change in their own states and at the national level.

The new report arrives at a critical time, as economic and demographic changes exert new pressures on today's workforce. New job growth favors high-skill workers, and the impending retirement of the baby boom generation will lead to a workforce that comes increasingly from populations that have traditionally been less likely to attend college.

This report warns that the U.S. will become less competitive in the global economy because of declining quality foreign language education at the college and high school levels. Additionally, the American public's deficiency in foreign languages and cultures is hampering efforts to counter terrorist threats. Recommendations in Education for Global Leadership Teaching international content across the curriculum and at all levels of learning to expand American students' knowledge of other countries and cultures. Expanding the training pipeline at every level of education to address the paucity of Americans fluent in foreign languages, especially critical, less-commonly taught languages. National leaders -- political leaders as well as the business and philanthropic communities and the media -- should educate the public about the importance of improving education in languages other than English and in international studies.

This report warns that the U.S. will become less competitive in the global economy because of declining quality foreign language education at the college and high school levels. Additionally, the American public's deficiency in foreign languages and cultures is hampering efforts to counter terrorist threats. Recommendations in Education for Global Leadership Teaching international content across the curriculum and at all levels of learning to expand American students' knowledge of other countries and cultures. Expanding the training pipeline at every level of education to address the paucity of Americans fluent in foreign languages, especially critical, less-commonly taught languages. National leaders -- political leaders as well as the business and philanthropic communities and the media -- should educate the public about the importance of improving education in languages other than English and in international studies.

This report warns that the U.S. will become less competitive in the global economy because of declining quality foreign language education at the college and high school levels. Additionally, the American public's deficiency in foreign languages and cultures is hampering efforts to counter terrorist threats. Recommendations in Education for Global Leadership Teaching international content across the curriculum and at all levels of learning to expand American students' knowledge of other countries and cultures. Expanding the training pipeline at every level of education to address the paucity of Americans fluent in foreign languages, especially critical, less-commonly taught languages. National leaders -- political leaders as well as the business and philanthropic communities and the media -- should educate the public about the importance of improving education in languages other than English and in international studies.

This report focuses on basic research -- the experimental or theoretical work intended to advance science and engineering knowledge rather than develop a specific product or process. CED recommends policy reforms to ensure that tomorrow's basic research can be as productive and effective as possible. The recommendations address Congress' procedures for allocating funds for basic research, the central role of the research university and the individual scientific investigator, the critical importance of peer review, the need to sustain the pipeline of high-quality scientists and engineers for the long-term, and the implications of an increasingly global research enterprise.

This report focuses on basic research -- the experimental or theoretical work intended to advance science and engineering knowledge rather than develop a specific product or process. CED recommends policy reforms to ensure that tomorrow's basic research can be as productive and effective as possible. The recommendations address Congress' procedures for allocating funds for basic research, the central role of the research university and the individual scientific investigator, the critical importance of peer review, the need to sustain the pipeline of high-quality scientists and engineers for the long-term, and the implications of an increasingly global research enterprise.

This report focuses on basic research -- the experimental or theoretical work intended to advance science and engineering knowledge rather than develop a specific product or process. CED recommends policy reforms to ensure that tomorrow's basic research can be as productive and effective as possible. The recommendations address Congress' procedures for allocating funds for basic research, the central role of the research university and the individual scientific investigator, the critical importance of peer review, the need to sustain the pipeline of high-quality scientists and engineers for the long-term, and the implications of an increasingly global research enterprise.