Veteran's Day is a time for all Americans to take a day off and thank our servicemembers and veterans for their sacrifices in stepping up to protect our country's freedom. The week after Veterans Day is when our active duty go back to their installations, and the rest of Americans go back to business in their regular lives.

We need an education system intentionally designed to engage students to understand their values and to learn how to become effective citizens. Which questions teachers ask or do not ask influences how their students understand the world and their role in it.

As exciting as all this was, where were the teachers in these conversations? Many of us felt that we were invited because we actively lead in our schools, communities, and countries, and we expected to have a similar role at ISTP. We felt stifled in the exchange. So, in true teacher form, we didn't give up.

Entrepreneurs not only provide us with critical innovation and keep us at the forefront of global markets, they also create ways to gain financial independence. So why has the percentage of start-ups in the U.S. dropped significantly in the last 35 years?

We should stop obsessing about test scores and start obsessing about the health and well-being of children and their families. The gains would be far more valuable than a few points on a standardized test.

President Obama has set a clear goal for our nation's education system: by 2020, the U.S. would once again be the world's leader in the proportion of its citizens holding college degrees or postsecondary credentials.