Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton’s Joining Our Businesses and Schools Commission launched Monday with the aim of forging a stronger link between high school curricula and local economies. His 20-member commission, which features business and education leaders from across North Carolina, is focusing on creating more rigor and relevance for North Carolina high school students and raising the career readiness of graduates.

The JOBS Commission is a grant-funded legislative commission that is touring the state to focus on regional and statewide needs in the 21st Century economy and direct educational efforts toward meeting those needs.

We think this is a promising venture, because it is not coming from one side of the political aisle.

The Commission expects to hear from a broad range of speakers, including Supt. of Public Instruction June Atkinson, N.C. Community Colleges President Scott Ralls and N.C. Chamber President and CEO Lew Ebert.

We are thrilled that the Commission aims to create themed schools that match the economic development needs in a community. It is our hope that many of these will match with the workforce’s needs for the emerging, technology-based economy, including schools focused on science, technology, engineering and math. Schools could also focus on workforce shortage areas like nursing and teaching. 

There is little doubt that the JOBS Commission could be a major key to making sure that North Carolina attracts, creates and keeps good jobs in the future. We hope it will help make the critical connection between the talent needs of the business community and what students are gaining from the classrooms.

It’s in the most challenging times when resources are hardest to come by that focused collaboration like the JOBS Commission brings is most important.

Bill Harrison, chairman of the State Board of Education, summed it up best: “I applaud the mission of the JOBS Commission and look forward to serving. This is exactly the kind of thing we need to raise the rigor and relevance of public education and to insure that all students leave us career ready.”

While Gov. Bev Perdue has done little for education in this state aside from hamper it financially — taking money away in order to pay the state’s overspending — we see Dalton’s efforts as refreshing and positive far exceeding his boss’ track record.