Champaign, IL. - Presidential candidate George W. Bush is proposing a $2.8 billion dollar program to foster public-private partnerships for raising money to build new schools and repair those that are crumbling. Bush says, " School construction should be a national priority."

Nationally recognized education-business consultant, Carol Timms, challenges Bush to take his idea one step further. Ms. Timms says, "I agree that the creation of public-private partnerships is a good idea for education. Businesses have a vested interest in the potential consumers and employees the educational system produces, so they should be involved at every level. I encourage Bush to expand his thinking to include public-private partnerships in other areas of school improvement. We need all of education's stakeholders, government officials, business leaders, community members, parents and educators, to sit at the table together to draw a broad plan for the future of our schools. The plan needs to include all aspects of school improvement from the building infrastructure to the curriculum. To see long lasting, successful results, these stakeholders will need to lead the way by developing goals, finding solutions, providing resources and evaluating progress in school improvement."

Ms. Timms started her company in 1994 to address the learning needs of elementary and secondary students. Through her work, Ms. Timms saw the need for improved business involvement in education through partnerships with educational projects. "Business and education overall have had an uneasy relationship because the American public has seen business use the classroom as a place to bombard students with marketing messages while providing no educational value, but we have developed an ethical approach that requires organizations to follow responsible guidelines for working together," says Timms. "We should not overlook the value of opening classroom doors to the business world for student and teachers. A business can provide opportunities for students that enhance learning."

Educational Dividends' mission is to change the classroom paradigm to consistently produce creative, self-learners who are employable. "I know that an innovative approach to educational partnerships offers strength to our schools and improved learning for our students. I encourage all leaders to expand on the successes of our company to bring the needs and ideas of all stakeholders to the table for education." Educational Dividends, based in Champaign, Illinois, began in 1994 and has served tens of thousands of students throughout Illinois. For more information, visit our website: http://www.educationaldividends.com/. For an interview with Ms. Carol Timms, call toll free 877-359-9444.

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