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Published in The Indianapolis Star, September 4, 2005.

I recently participated in the annual policy forum in Denver sponsored by the Education Commission of the States. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who combined time wielding his chairman's gavel with exercising his guitar pick, chairs the ECS. He explained that music and the arts must be central to any meaningful education reform. Say what? The connection between commonly perceived art domains, such as drama and dance, does not strike many as an essential ingredient for Johnny to be educated and prepared for success in the marketplace. The creative arts are nice, but not really necessary. Or are they?

Today's knowledge economy is dependent on a work force that is flexible, adaptable and creative. Therefore, we must consider education reform that doesn't relegate the development of students' creativity solely to the arts department.

If you are willing to at least consider the creativity-education-economy nexus, the obvious next question becomes, "How can we implement this new approach?" For some answers, I'd like to submit a new Downtown Indianapolis charter school, Herron High School, as Exhibit A.

Herron, which recently received a charter from Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, is founded on the belief that a classical liberal arts education, where students are steeped in great historical thought and production, is the very best preparation for future influence. The school emphasizes the integration of academic subjects; the teaching of great works of literature through original source documents; formal instruction in Latin, logic and rhetoric; and appreciation for the greatest works of visual, musical and dramatic art.

Herron's students will be inspired by the great truths and beauty of our common roots. Visual arts studies will be included as a critical element in the understanding of world cultures and the evolution of ideas of truth and beauty, enhancing other academic pursuits by honing concentration and observation skills, innovation and invention abilities. In other words, the students will rigorously study the best thinking of our past to become the most creative thinkers of our future.

To bolster the creativity and enterprise of today's work force, Exhibit B comes from Indiana Department of Workforce Development, which recently announced a $23 million Strategic Skills Initiative to overcome the human capital conundrum presented by our rapidly changing economy. Rather than rely on the traditional method of state-level work-force conferences or best practices from other states, the department commissioner Ron Stiver's go-to source has become Thomas Friedman's new book, "The World is Flat."

Friedman argues that in today's global business environment, marketplace success will be determined by the most active minds, not the most powerful systems. As new technologies are unleashed, the playing field gets leveled and education and innovation become the only tools U.S. companies can deploy to retain our competitive advantage.

How effectively corporate leaders and work-force participants respond to these forces will largely determine the state's competitive position for the next generation.

Hein is president of Sagamore Institute for Policy Research, an Indianapolis-based think tank.

Today's knowledge economy is dependent on a work force that is flexible, adaptable and creative.