U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) was joined by Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) on Monday in announcing the reestablishment of the bipartisan Congressional 21st Century Skills Caucus (21CS Caucus).
The goal of the 21CS Caucus is to function as a bipartisan forum to advance the discussion on how 21st century skills in our nation’s educational system can be promoted to better prepare students with the right skills and knowledge to compete in a global economy.
“Reestablishing the 21CS Caucus will provide a forum to discuss the best methods to effectively promote 21st century skills in our local schools,” 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.”
To achieve its goal, the caucus will seek to build collaborative partnerships among community, education, business and government leaders. Twenty states have formed a coalition with more than 30 leading companies and education organizations so far to determine methods of strengthening 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,” 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.”