Strong American Schools is a nonpartisan public awareness and advocacy effort aimed at elevating discussion amongst America's leaders about the need for education reform.

This campaign seeks to unite all Americans around the crucial mission of improving our public schools by elevating the discussion to a national stage.


Our Focus

America’s students are losing out. The world is changing, jobs are evolving, and far too many students are simply not being prepared to be successful adults:

  • Seventy percent of eighth graders are not proficient in reading—and most will never catch up.
  • Every year, more than 1.2 million students drop out of high school.
  • Compared to students in 30 industrialized countries, American 15 year olds ranked 25th in math and 21st in science. Even America's top math students rank 25th out of 30 when compared with top students across the globe.
  • Many of those who do graduate are not ready for college, for the workplace and for life.

We have to act now to improve education before more American students lose out on the best jobs, hurting our economy and impacting each and every one of us.

Our Goal

We want a serious nationwide debate on education reform where every presidential candidate addresses three priorities that hold great promise for improving education:

  • Agreeing on American education standards
  • Providing effective teachers in every classroom
  • Giving students more time and support for learning.

The campaign will not support or oppose any particular candidate for public office or any political party. Nor does it take positions on legislation.

Our Structure

Strong American Schools is a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, two of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world, have provided grant funding for Strong American Schools.

Roy Romer, the former governor of Colorado and most recently superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is our chairman and lead spokesman.

Our budget is estimated to be up to $60 million.

STAND UP

Strong American Schools and the ED in 08 campaign are the successors to the STAND UP campaign launched in 2006.

Look at ED

In The News

  • 06.28.08

    Poll: Schools not properly preparing kids  

    Half of Americans say U.S. schools are doing only a fair to poor job preparing kids for college and the work force. Even more feel that way about the skills kids need to survive as adults, an Associated Press poll released Friday finds. (Associated Press)

  • 06.25.08

    Teacher Bonuses Get Unions' Blessing  

    One of the most ambitious pay-for-performance initiatives in Washington area schools is drawing strong teacher interest and local union support even though many national labor leaders have long asserted that it is unfair to link teachers' paychecks directly to their students' test scores. (Washington Post)

  • 06.24.08

    More rigorous instruction urged for middle-schoolers  

    Middle schoolers need longer school days, specially trained teachers and more challenging academics if school officials hope to reverse a decades-long trend of sagging achievement rates, according to a report presented Tuesday to the State Board of Education. (Baltimore Sun)

  • 06.24.08

    New York Students Improve in Reading and Math  

    State Education Commissioner Richard Mills called the results “encouraging and exciting,” saying they were evidence that the state’s emphasis on giving more money to needy school districts and focusing on high standards was successful. (New York Times)

  • 06.24.08

    EDITORIAL: Governor readies next reform wave  

    The Boston Herald editorializes, "So at least everyone’s on the same page: It’s time for a “new era” of education reform." (Boston Herald)