Increasingly, America's niche in the global marketplace will be in innovative high technology industries, of which aerospace and space-based systems are integral components. ASA believes that states can conduct significant initiatives in space and aeronautics that will positively impact education and economic development. ASA will continue working with its member states to expand their efforts in aerospace education outreach to teachers, students and the general public. ASA will initiate economic development strategies in partnership with its member states, the private sector and the federal government that identify and capitalize on job growth opportunities in emerging high technology industries. Education Educational excellence is a unifying theme of ASA member states.
States are the principal focus for the education of students, the work force and the general public.
Building and maintaining the educational infrastructure, developing curriculum that transfers knowledge from generation to generation and stimulating the pursuit of new knowledge is the purview of the states. ASA believes that public participation in aerospace is crucial to public support for aerospace. Education is the quickest and surest means of demonstrating a return on the public's investment in aerospace programs. ASA views education as a process, not a product, that should last a life time and should reach the broadest possible constituency. ASA member states are committed to enhancing educational opportunities at the state and local level through the use of aerospace education resources in the K-12 classrooms, by the advocacy of sufficient funding for college and university research in aerospace sciences and engineering, and by the dissemination of aerospace information to the general public.