Pascal Forgione, Jr., SUPERINTENDENT OF THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. Based on three priorities—Better Student Achievement, Better Data, and Better Collaboration—Dr. Forgione has spearheaded district initiatives that have built an outstanding education team, developed and implemented an effective education plan, and produced marked improvement in operations and accomplishments.

From 1996 until 1999, Dr. Forgione was U.S. Commissioner of Education Statistics with the National Center for Education Statistics, and from 1991 to 1996, he served as Delaware State Superintendent for Public Instruction. In 1991, he headed the U.S. Department of Education’s National Education Goals Panel.

Additionally, Dr. Forgione has held positions with the Connecticut State Department of Education, the National Center for Research in Vocational Education at The Ohio State University, the Syracuse Research Corporation, Maryland State Department of Education, and Stanford University. Dr. Forgione has also served as a consultant to, or member of, numerous educational organizations and initiatives, including the Council of Chief State School Officers; National Center for Education and the Economy; National Council for Measurement in Education; the College Board; RAND Corporation; U.S. Department of Defense; Council for Basic Education; American Educational Research; the National Governors Association; the National Science Foundation; and the Board of Directors of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Dr. Forgione has a doctorate in administration and policy analysis from Stanford University, a master’s in urban history from Stanford, a master’s in educational administration from Loyola College, and a bachelor’s in theology and a bachelor’s in philosophy from St. Mary’s Seminary and University.

Earlier this year, Common Core's report shows a nation STILL AT RISK. Nearly a quarter of students polled could not identify Adolf Hitler and half had no idea what the Renaissance was. To learn more read the report, press release or stories at ABC News, CBS News, The New York Times, and USA TODAY. Or take the test yourself.

FROM THE BENCH: "One unintended effect of the No Child Left Behind Act, …, is that it has effectively squeezed out civics education because there is no testing for that anymore and no funding for that. And at least half of the states no longer make the teaching of civics and government a requirement for high school graduation. This leaves a huge gap, and we can't forget that the primary purpose of public schools in America has always been to help produce citizens who have the knowledge and the skills and the values to sustain our republic as a nation, our democratic form of government," former justice Sandra Day O'Connor said. (cont'd)

CAMPAIGN FILE: Sen. John McCain recalls his English teacher: “There was one friendship that enriched my life at Episcopal High School beyond measure... Mr. Ravenel was head of the English Department... He loved English literature, and taught us to love it as well... He made us appreciate how profound were the emotions that animated the characters in Shakespeare's tragedies. MacBeth and Hamlet in his care were as compelling to boys as they were to the most learned scholar.” (cont'd)

CAMPAIGN FILE: Sen. Barack Obama said “One of the problems with No Child Left Behind is that it has become so reliant on a standardized test model that—first of all—subjects like history and social studies have gotten pushed aside. Arts and music time is no longer there. So the child is not having the well-rounded educational experience I benefited from and most in my generation benefited from.” (cont'd)