I recently had the opportunity to attend the VA Governor’s Education Summit “Innovate to Educate” was the theme throughout the summit. Speakers and panelists discussed both the challenges we face in today’s schools across America as well as innovative ideas and best practices being implemented in an effort to raise achievement, reduce dropouts, drive reform, prepare students for college and career readiness and increase opportunities to provide students access to technology 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that learning continues outside of the classroom.

The federal Race To The Top initiative and state-led Common Core Standards effort have pushed student assessment, and how those are used, to the forefront of the education debate. SAS CEO Jim Goodnight, along with other leaders, has voiced his support for the Common Core Standards . As US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan indicated in his speech at the VA Summit; the next generation of assessments will create a common yard stick to measure all students. From Maine to New Mexico, and Maryland to Montana, all students will be assessed the same.

Our statistics are alarming: 25% of incoming freshmen dropout or don’t graduate high school on time. We need to stop telling our students and parents that our students are ready for college, when they aren’t. Our education results show that we aren’t who we think we are.

Regardless of whether you agree with the Race To The Top initiative, agree with President Obama or Secretary Duncan, one thing is clear. It’s time we raise the bar on education across America. Let’s join our leaders by encouraging more states to adopt the Common Core Standards.