Another book on higher education? Given that the Lumina Foundation is tightly focused on the world of post-secondary education, that’s a logical assumption for readers starting out on America Needs Talent by Jamie Merisotis, CEO of the Foundation. But the book is about more than that. In very succinct fashion, Merisotis serves up five compelling ideas for what the US must to do to regain the competitive edge that fueled our prosperity in the 20th century. Only one of those ideas is purely in the realm of higher education.
First, let’s quickly tackle his pure play on higher education – “it’s the learning, stupid.” That’s the title of Merisotis’ chapter underscoring the continuing value of college while explaining how higher education needs to refocus on student learning in order to maximize that value for students and society. Some colleges may have the resources to pursue additional goals, but any institution that lets other interests get in the way of building the best learning environment is straying from its core mission.
Second, new players are needed to bring missing skills and insight to increase the pace of innovation. While Merisotis grounds this dynamic in the world of higher education, it has broader application. Just look at the emergence of Tesla in the automobile industry as a flashy example of how traditional markets need new entrants not weighed down by all the “must do” or “must not do” dictates of the status quo.
Merisotis refers to this as “private sector innovation” and I know many will jump to the conclusion that means for-profit providers. But it’s clear he means a lot more than that as he explores the possibilities for public libraries, museums, employers and performing arts organizations. I would add charter school networks and youth development groups as additional sectors that can be a big part of this work.
Third, the new players will need new tools to be able to make this work. Private sector innovation will definitely require new investment and probably need new organizational structures as well. Merisotis discusses both social impact bonds and “B corporations” (entities that pursue social purpose first but as a for profit corporation for financial sustainability) as tools to avoid dependence on new government funding. And in my opinion, there is no reason why existing colleges that are willing to be innovative and flexible can’t pursue partnerships with new players.
Fourth, cities – actually the metro regions defined by their center city – are the platforms where real change happens in this country. The federal and state governments are, at best, enablers of change when we’re talking about issues like education that are dominated by complex individual and organizational behaviors. For many years, I worked at the regional level in my home state and traveled some of the national circles in this field. It’s no surprise to see that Merisotis relies on Bruce Katz’s work at The Brookings Institute to explore this issue. Metro regions are closer to the action, more flexible and capable of faster action than state or federal government. Plus regions can bring together resources and partners that municipal governments or school districts can’t mobilize on their own.
Fifth, immigration policy matters because American success has been fueled by the energy of new Americans since this country began. Merisotis deserves credit for putting this issue front and center in a conversation about our future economic competitiveness and social strength. I admit to a shared bias – I grew up thinking that everyone’s grandparents spoke heavily accented, halting English. But I also learned that these people who had no access to education or social mobility in their home countries instinctively knew that this country’s model of public education offered the path to a much better life for their children and grandchildren.
Several great books on higher education have been published in the last two years. I thought Jamie Merisotis might grab a spot on that list. Instead, he has written a book about the country’s future that demands an audience beyond higher education wonks. By talking about the importance of America’s talent, Merisotis offers both a broader public policy agenda and a strong statement about the fundamental role that higher education will play in determining American success over the next 50 years.
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