Public education policymakers and the Board of Regents need to work together around a common mission and goals where they can concentrate their resources in preparing the new generation of knowledge and high-skilled workers necessary if Utah is to succeed in today's "flat world."

Utah students' demographics reflect the projections made 15 years ago by the Departments of Labor and Education that by the year 2000 the U.S. would have an aging and shrinking work force and that Hispanics would be the youngest and fastest growing population and would make up almost one-third of the net increase in the work force.

Employers and their shareholders, if they are to succeed in today's new economy, have to use their political capital and leadership in making sure their money and tax dollars are being invested in their future multilingual work force sitting in today's classroom. No longer can they act as spectators, complaining about education. Rather, they must make sure they cultivate the human capital necessary to succeed — so Utah gets it.

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Utah native John Florez has founded several Hispanic civil rights organizations and served on the staff of Sen. Orrin Hatch and on more than 45 state, local and volunteer boards. He also has been deputy assistant secretary of labor. E-mail: jdflorez@comcast.net