Success 2.0: The Publisher’s Role in the 21st Century

By Daniel Caton
President of McGraw-Hill Learning Group

It’s a time of great upheaval in American education. More students than ever from various backgrounds and nationalities are enrolled in our schools. The vibrant, expanding, global economy demands skills and training that the education system doesn’t provide, and many citizens are horrified by how poorly prepared students are for this rapidly changing society. Teachers often are considered not up to the challenge, sparking controversial efforts to hold them to higher and more consistent standards.

I could be referring to today’s educational system, but I’m not. I’m describing the educational landscape of a century ago – the timeframe giving rise to the educational publishing industry and the concept of basal and supplemental materials. My point is to suggest that even as the technology of education has changed, the reasons for our industry’s existence have not.