The Business & Educational Partnership for Enhanced Performance

Speaker: Larry Yost
March 28, 2001
The MichCon Gas Company
Detroit, Mich.

Two hundred business people, educators and educational administrators met to discuss how they can drive positive change in education. Chairman and CEO Larry Yost spoke about the progress already being made and discussed his endorsement of the Bush administration's education reform to ensure that every child receives a quality education.

Yost recommended a business approach to managing growth and change in schools. This includes developing a long-range solution instead of a quick fix, seeing parents and society as customers, and viewing students as the final product. He also discussed the nine keys to reform: standards, assessments, accountability, professional development, school autonomy, parent involvement, learning readiness, technology, and safety and discipline.

In addition, Yost stressed that partnering with businesses can benefit students. That's why ArvinMeritor has a long tradition of supporting education. In fact, half of ArvinMeritor's charitable funds go to education initiatives. A current project is ArvinMeritor's partnership with Southwestern High School, made possible by ArvinMeritor's development of a 250,000 sq. ft. LVS plant/tech center in Detroit's Renaissance Zone. Southwestern High School will receive human and financial support, enhanced career opportunities and better educational programs. In return, ArvinMeritor will benefit from workforce-ready employees, improved competitiveness and reduced training costs. Yost believes that it is important to make an investment in our community. And, that by working together, we can make a difference.