Washington, D.C. – Recently, Congressman Dave Loebsack, D-IA, and Congressman Ryan Costello, R-PA, announced the reestablishment of the bipartisan Congressional 21st Century Skills Caucus (21CS Caucus).
Recognizing the need to better prepare more Americans for learning and work, the 21CS Caucus intends to serve as a bipartisan forum for advancing the discussion on how to effectively promote 21st century skills in the nation’s educational system and better prepare students with the right knowledge and skills to compete in a global economy.
The caucus will look to build collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders to achieve this goal. To date, 20 states have formed a coalition with more than 30 leading companies and education organizations to find ways to strengthen 21st century skills in K-12 classrooms.
“We must prepare our students today for the jobs of the future, and I am pleased to renew the bipartisan commitment to this goal with Congressman Costello,” said Loebsack said. “As implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act begins, I look forward to working with my colleagues to foster innovation in the classroom that will provide our students with the skills they need to succeed when they enter the workforce.”
“Reestablishing the 21CS Caucus will provide a forum to discuss the best methods to effectively promote 21st century skills in our local schools,” said Costello said. “By doing so, we will ensure our students are receiving the best education possible to prepare them for success in the 21st century workforce. I look forward to collaborating with Congressman Loebsack and my colleagues to create an educational environment that encourages the skills and innovation needed for our students to be college and career ready.”
"We are grateful for Congressman Costello and Congressman Loebsack's leadership of the caucus," said Dr. Helen Soule, Partnership for 21st Century Learning executive director. "We have an historic opportunity to make 21st century learning possible for students in every community thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act and the caucus's work supporting learning for the future of our workforce and democracy. We look forward to working with all members of Congress as part of this important Caucus."
The 21CS Caucus was formed by Congressman Thomas Petri, R-WI, and Congressman Dave Loebsack, D-IA, during the 112th Congress. The caucus works in tandem with the Partnership for 21st Century Learning to provide a platform for leaders, advocates, practitioners and organizations to brief members of Congress about the importance of 21st century skills for the nation's students.
For more information on the caucus and the initiative, visit P21.org