. >> and what we've learned over the years in the summits, rahema, you and i, you have to do what youother places, you have to make teaching a really high valued profession, not because we love our teachers but valued economically and in terms of training and education and in terms of the position that teachers hold in this society. >> absolutely. it almost seems it would be a culture shift. almost it's going back to the future if you will. once upon a time teachers had one of the most highly valued positions in society in terms of the level of respect. but i should say this also, that's sometimes we think education is an issue for people who have children in the school system. but a poll out recently by the pugh center said 70% of the american public, that's the american public, not the american public with children in schools, 70% believes improving the american education system is a top priority for the president and congress. that's up from four years ago when it was just 61%. so we're increasing in the number of people who think this is important. that's a good thing and means mo

our chief education correspondent rahema ellis, ladies and gentlemen. [ applause ] and to help us startff the conversation, we have two friends with us here on stage. vico lucas, science teacher in the jefferson county schools in louisville, kentucky. and joanna, a biology teacher at the david w. butler high school in charlotte, north carolina. and we're going to start this off by talking about the changes that are going on for teachers and whether or not you all have the tools. we are speaking of course about the train that is rolling down the tracks in 45 out of 50 states, and that's common core. while this is a gathering of teachers and while mostly on the air we assume we are being watched by teachers, rahema, for the lay folks, for the parents joining us, give us your best definition of common core. >> common core is economic development. that's what i'm hearing common core is. if you want to make certain america is prepared for the future, you have 50 million potential workers who are now in the public schools in this country. the people who adopted common core, the 45 states, sai

. >> chief education correspondent r r rahema ellis joins us.ith teachers and others such as the governor of indiana? >> it's emotional and financial. it's emotional in places they have taken tests based on common core standards, the results have been dismal. it's an emotional one when the parents and students get a grade when you're not as smart as you think you are. then the common core tests critical thinking, more than filling in the bubble. those tests cost pennies and still at that cost, $1.7 billion to do that kind of fill in the bubble test. imagine what it's going to be when they have to review a test where kids are writing out answers in essay form. the money is going to go through the roof. they are trying to figure out how do we pay for it and make sure our kids are ready to take those tests. >> thank you so much from the education nation summit. as we've been reporting throughout the hour. families of military servicemen and women are being denied death benefits because of the goflt shutdown. the wife of one of the sergeants has rel