In this June 30, 2015 photo, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is seen signing House Bill 3499. Monday, Dec. 14, the governor announced her intentions to add a new member to her administration who will be tasked with finding a fix for the state's low graduation rate.
Courtesy of Gov. Kate Brown's Office
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told business leaders Monday she intends to help students graduate high school better prepared for careers, with the help of a new member of her administration.
Related: Why Is Oregon's Graduation Rate So Low?
When
Congress passed the "Every Student Succeeds" law last week
, Brown said it put the responsibility for education "firmly in our hands."
So, Brown is hiring a new "education innovation officer." The position will take aim at Oregon's 72 percent high school graduation rate — and what students do after graduation.
"The position will assist me, my education team and the Legislature in dedicating resources to increase the number of students who graduate from high school with a plan for their future," Brown told the Oregon Leadership Summit.
In 2013, Oregon's graduation rate was the lowest of any state in the country, at 68.7 percent. It improved slightly to 72 percent in 2014, placing the state ahead of Alaska, Georgia, Nevada and New Mexico.
On Monday, Brown convened a panel, which included a fifth grader and a high school sophomore. They discussed technology and hands-on career education.
Brown told the gathering of business leaders and elected officials she wants schools to help prepare Oregonians for high-waged positions that are hard for employers to fill.