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It is very disturbing that the critical need to invest in education to prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st-century economy, which was top of mind six months ago, has now been overshadowed by the current financial crisis. There is no doubt that local and state government incomes are impacted by this deep recession. However, in many ways, the change in our economy warrants even more attention to the importance of investment in our future through support for education.

Since the start of this new century, report after report has stressed the importance of enhancing education in the United States. Each report issues the call: Students must be prepared for the knowledge-based economy. Students must be equipped with the capacity to think creatively and problem solve, communicate effectively, work collaboratively and know how and where to get information to answer questions.

However, many of these same reports have raised grave concerns about our students' academic achievement, particularly as compared with achievement of students in competing markets. It is reported that only 17 of every 100 U.S. eighth-graders will finish college.

We are increasingly aware of the economic competition looming from India and China, where science, math and foreign language are the emphasis in their education systems as compared to proficiency scores in math and reading in schools in the United States.

Education is the path to success in this globally competitive world. Calls to action issued by our national and state education, business and economic development leaders put emphasis on the challenge of preparing our students for success. All jobs of the future require educated workers who can respond flexibly to complex problems, communicate effectively, manage information, work in teams and produce innovative results.

Business leaders in North Carolina have brought increased attention to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education and our being at "another Sputnik moment" in education. This means a renewal of commitment to mathematics and science education, promoting creative thinking and invention.

We must join hands between business and education to make the investment to create new energy, new ideas and new commitment to take our students into a competitive advantage in the 21st century. The United States' economic advantage has always been our inventive minds, our creative capacity and our entrepreneurship. To continue to achieve this requires more investment in education.

In a "Triad CEO Forum" a few weeks ago at the Biomedical Research Center in Piedmont Triad Research Park, each of the panel's regional business leaders reiterated the importance of investing in education as a means to lift our economy and enhance our region. Each spoke to the global competitiveness of today's work environment and the challenges we face as a region and state to continue to be viable. No matter the business sector, an educated work force is a requirement.

We know the importance of investing in education for our future. We know that halting this investment at this critical juncture could be very damaging to our future. Are we willing to make the sacrifice in today's reality to continue to support education, improve our schools and move our community into a successful future? Surely we cannot settle for less.

The writer is executive director, the Guilford Education Alliance.