Over the last two decades there have been initiatives both
raising and responding to concerns about the preparation
of young people to perform well in the world of work. The
1983 report to the secretary of education entitled A Nation
at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform began as follows:
“Our nation is at risk. Our once unchallenged preeminence
in commerce, industry, science, and technological innovation
is being overtaken by competitors throughout the world.”
The report lamented the education system’s failures
in preparing the next generation of workers with the
competencies and values necessary to retain a competitive
position for the United States.