Editor’s note: In this first part of a multipart series on quality in education, we will provide an overview of the current state of quality education issues. In addition, a few of the lean practices that are now being adopted by education thought leaders will be shared.

Schools and businesses are more alike than different. Standards of excellence apply to both. There is much finger-pointing at how the U.S. education system is failing to prepare another generation of workers with the requisite skill sets.