Lost in the debate on how to move America forward are the actual ideas that so many of this country’s greatest thinkers have already put on the table. A new book set to be released by SEE Innovation spotlights programs and policies these innovators are using across the country in the fields of education, the environment, health care, civic participation, urban policy, and economics.

Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America is a part of the project the Ashville, N.C.-based SEE Innovation organization has undertaken to bring awareness to the solutions to some of the social, environmental, and economic dilemmas facing the United States today.  

The book features stirring essays from Veterans for Peace, Al Gore, Union of Concerned Scientists, The Bipartisan Bridge, Geoffrey Canada, and Institute for Educational Leadership and Coalition for Community School’s own Martin J. Blank.

Entire school districts can see the increases in reading and math scores and daily attendance that Multnomah County, Oregon saw by building the same types of partnerships between the county, city, local nonprofits and corporations that made their network of 58 community schools successful, Blank writes.

"Only by intentionally and relentlessly working together across organizational boundaries will our nation get the results we need for the 21^st century and beyond," he says in the book.

SEE Innovation plans to distribute the book to every member of Congress as well as encourage other innovators to share their success stories as well.