This report proposes an agenda that business leaders can use to help improve education. It is the result of the 1999 National Education Summit at which business leaders, governors, and educators pledged to improve the quality of teaching with significantly increased investments in teachers and accountability for results. Recommendations were forged through a national dialogue with business leaders, governors, teachers, administrators, and teacher educators. Specific input was gathered from these stakeholders at various regional meetings. The report calls on states and communities to use this agenda as an overall framework to improve teaching quality. It recommends that states and communities: (1) create a new model of teacher preparation and professional development to provide teachers with the knowledge and tools to do their job, thus helping all students reach high academic standards; (2) create a new model of pay tied to performance and a new employment contract that spells out expectations of teachers as well as assistance and incentives that will be available for them; and (3) create a new school environment that reflects teachers' expertise and provides them with the freedom and flexibility to achieve results. An appendix describes increased state spending to support teachers. The databook presents information on various issues related to teacher quality, such as: (1) how teacher effectiveness impacts student achievement; (2) how many teachers are needed over the next 10 years; (3) how prepared teachers feel; (4) how qualified teachers are; (5) how prepared public school teachers are to teach their subjects; (6) recruiting teachers to high poverty schools; (7) how much time teachers spend in professional development activities; (8) teacher training and student test scores; and (9) how much time teachers have to prepare for class. Teacher data for all 50 states are appended. (Contains 23 references.) (SM)