All of California's students deserve the opportunity for a quality education rich in science, mathematics, and related technologies. Education in these areas is essential to support the requirements of our workforce as well as our community and research needs.

California has seen its students fall behind over the years in these areas in relation to their peers around the world. At the same time, there has been a growing shortage of qualified teachers with the appropriate background and training to address these educational deficiencies.

Responding to these challenges, the state must embrace modern practices that maximize the ability of children to learn and teachers to teach. A failure to take remedial action would leave California's educational system without sufficient tools to educate our children so they may be competitive in an increasingly global market.

The time has come for businesses and professionals to gather together and marshal resources with the objective of using all tools at our disposal to improve our approach and methods in teacher preparation and student performance in mathematics and science in California.

Business for Science, Math, and Related Technologies Education (BSMARTE) was founded in 2004 to bring together businesses that are committed to high-quality math and science education with the educators and nationally recognized organizations that share similar goals. The combined purpose is to promote participation in the state's education-related decision-making and positively impact California's public education policy.

To accomplish these important goals, BSMARTE educates policymakers and recruits new member companies to participate in the organization's activities. BSMARTE actively participates with the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Education, the Secretary of Education, the Legislature, the State Board of Education, and the Curriculum Commission in formal and informal proceedings and public policy debates. Efforts involve rationalizing and coordinating strategies to use educational services and technologies related to mathematics and science, and to bring the expertise of California's business community to this work.

These efforts will lead to increased opportunities and achievement among California's students and will provide a better foundation for the future of our state.