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New Advertising Campaign Hits Airwaves; Points to the Dire State of America’s Education System and its Risk to Students

Strong American Schools Launches One Nation Left Behind in Seven States

Washington, D.C. — To draw attention to America’s sub-par education system, Strong American Schools today launched a campaign of television, radio, print and online ads. The new ad campaign, One Nation Left Behind, will be running in 16 markets in seven states including: Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, New Mexico, Virginia and Wisconsin, with a total expenditure of more than $5 million. Ads are also expected to run later this summer in Minnesota. Actress and children’s book author Jamie Lee Curtis provides the voice of the ads that speak to Americans about the ominous state of America’s public education system and urges them to become advocates for improving the country’s schools.

New Poll: Strong Majority of Women in Missouri and Ohio Express Outrage at Failing Public Schools

Women see a strong connection between basic education skills –reading, math and science – and children’s economic success

Washington, D.C. — As ED in 08 continues its campaign to raise awareness about the economic impact of America’s failing schools, a new poll, released today, shows that over 80 percent of women in Missouri and Ohio define themselves as angry when informed of facts about American students slipping behind their international peers in achievement tests and graduation rates. Women’s reaction to the education gap between schools in the United States and schools in other industrialized nations show there is significant interest in the need for education reform.

Results of the poll can be found here. [...]

LEADING ECONOMISTS WARN THAT EDUCATION GAP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES THREATENS AMERICA’S ABILITY TO COMPETE

America’s failure to keep pace with the education gains of other industrialized countries is creating a serious education gap that will impact our economic prosperity, warned some of the nation’s preeminent economists who gathered today at a national policy forum convened by Strong American Schools’ ED in 08 Chairman Roy Romer and Librarian of Congress Dr. James H. Billington.

MEDIA ADVISORY -- Leading Economists and Educators Debate the Economic Implications of the Crisis in American Education

Washington, D.C. — Washington, DC – The results of a new national poll about education and the economy will be among the topics of discussion at a policy forum on June 27th hosted by ED in 08 Chairman Roy Romer and Librarian of Congress Dr. James H. Billington. The forum, Remaining Competitive in a Flat World, will feature leading economists and researchers who will underscore the economic implications of a failing education system. As Americans confront an increasingly uncertain economic outlook and growing competition from emerging economies abroad, improving student achievement will likely be a critical strategy for encouraging growth. The event is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

When: Friday, June 27th,
            8:30 a.m. EST -- 1:30 pm EST

Keynote Address by Bill Bennett from 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m

Where: James Madison Memorial Building, The Library of Congress-Mumford Room (6th floor)
101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, D.C.

STRONG AMERICAN SCHOOLS ED IN ’08 CAMPAIGN TO AWARD $5,000 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP TO WINNER OF THE FILM YOUR ISSUE 2008 AWARDS

Washington, D.C. — Strong American Schools’ ED in ’08 campaign and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will award $5,000 college scholarship to the winner of the education category at the FYI—Film Your Issue 2008 Awards Ceremony today in Los Angeles, CA. The scholarship will be presented to 19 year-old college student from Miami, Fla., Ian Rojas, for his film, High School Drop-Out, by former Los Angeles city Mayor and California Secretary of Education Richard Riordan.