Technological, demographic, and competitive pressures have transformed the U.S. labor market and must be dealt with on a priority basis. The urgency of the problem can best be addressed by creating a national institution that is independent of government, business, and labor but that draws on all three sectors to develop a broad array of policies…

This document contains 15 papers from a conference on preparing youth for the 21st century that was organized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The following papers are included: "Giving Young People a Good Start: The Experience of OECD Countries" (Norman Bowers,…