Urge states to include the higher education community as an essential partner in statewide economic development efforts.
Call for state policies and programs that promote the role of higher education, including public four-year institutions, in the development of the human capital essential to advancing state and local economic development and meeting workforce needs.
Include all public four-year institutions in formal state-sponsored programs designed to facilitate applied research and development activities and regional economic development.
Kentucky's Postsecondary Education Improvement Act is illustrative of a successful and inclusive state initiative. The Kentucky Strategic Investment and Incentive Funding Program and the Regional University Excellence Fund serve as good examples of how states can effectively leverage state monies, allowing all public four-year institutions to fully tap their economic development capacity
elopment.
Support state efforts to establish and implement rigorous standards of learning for students in teacher preparation programs. These standards should address both specific content area comprehension and knowledge of appropriate methods of instruction and should be used to promote public accountability.
■ Encourage states to involve public institutions in the integration of the Common Core State standards in teacher education programs in states that have adopted these standards.