Business leaders in California's new economy are demanding a very old-fashioned skill from today's high school graduates - a work ethic. In today's hyper-competitive and service-oriented business world, executives are looking for much more than the "3 R's." They need students who are disciplined, willing to learn, and willing to grow.

These are findings recently developed from a survey sponsored by the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, with the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the first statewide survey of its kind, a representative sample of business executives expressed their deep concern - and deep dissatisfaction - about the condition of public schools, especially high schools. Business leaders believe that schools need more funding, but believe even more strongly that reforms should be adopted to meaningfully overhaul how schools are run and pupils educated.

And what are the reforms business leaders insist will make a difference? Personal responsibility, work ethic and communication skills. These reforms aren't exactly "reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic," and they don't show up on the must-do lists of Sacramento insiders or even the voters. But business executives concerned about their future workforce are deeply worried about these job readiness skills.

But don't get the idea that executives are trying to burden the schools with yet another mandate.

Indeed, what is a better exemplar of personal responsibility than arriving at class on time, with the mental and physical condition to participate in the day's lesson? Likewise, a good work ethic can be instilled by insisting that homework be completed on time and assignments treated with respect and diligence. Job readiness skills are in fact the same skills that are necessary for scholastic success - they simply aren't being valued in the classroom or on the campus, according to business leaders.

This is not to say that executives downplayed the importance of the academic disciplines. Mastery of reading was placed on a par with the job readiness skills, with writing and mathematics also highly rated by executives, but not nearly so critical as the job readiness skills.

In another departure from conventional wisdom, business leaders declared that "providing skills to students so they can be productive workers in California's economy" should be the main purpose of a high school education. Focusing on the basics ranked next in priority, followed by college preparation and citizenship.

How can we achieve these academic and workforce goals?

Business leaders strongly endorsed a strengthened state accountability and performance measurement system, asserting that this is an area where schools can learn from the private sector. Clearly tracking and evaluating teacher performance in improving student performance was seen as a key reform that can help schools focus on academic and discipline goals - and hold the entire school community responsible for meeting those goals.

As described by one executive, "In many ways, schools can be run like businesses: You can set objectives and you can measure your performance against those objectives. You can reward those who contribute the most and you can modify the behavior of those who are not contributing."

Business leaders also strongly endorsed a "tough love" policy for school teachers and principals. Reflecting on their own experiences in business, executives called for treating these employees as true professionals: increasing salaries for teachers who improve student performance, and making it easier to fire under-performing or incompetent teachers; more investment in teacher training and mentoring; and tougher standards and penalties for school principals.

But above all, business leaders are sending a message that time is of the essence and the need for improvement is vital. In the words of one respondent, a senior executive of a Silicon Valley company, the state's public education system is "extremely challenged" yet "essential to the future and economic viability of businesses in California, let alone the broader attractiveness of the state as a place to live and work."