There are two approaches, which have both proved effective. In Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman Chemical Company has required all job applicants to provide a transcript since 1989. Meanwhile, employers in Delaware have arranged with the state's high schools to obtain a job applicant's transcript within a 48-hour timeframe. The Business Roundtable, the National Alliance of Business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, representing some 218,000 employers, are asking the business community to ask students for their school records when hiring. The Common Agenda describes the education reform goals and efforts shared by the three business organizations named above in greater detail.
Companies can reward academic performance in a number of ways.
Employers can join in efforts to hold students accountable to high academic standards, or to support policies and laws that improve education. For more specific information and ideas on the employer role in school reform, please read our New Hampshire program example or return to the home page of the Business Coalition for Education Reform.