This report is adapted from a letter sent to President-Elect George Bush in early January 1989. The report was published to stimulate a broad public discussion of the role that the Federal Government might play in developing the skills of the Nation's people. The priority of preventing damage to young children is the topic of the first section. In the second section, three design programs for restructuring the schools for high performance are described: (1) high performance schools; (2) school to work transition; and (3) social service integration. The third section asks the President to declare a goal of matching the mathematics and science performance of students to those in all other countries by a certain date as well as devising a national strategy for achieving the goal. The last section addresses the Nation's problem of adult illiteracy and the need for high levels of work force training. Appended is a publication order form. (SI)