As American educators struggle to meet the unprecedented challenge of preparing all students to master the skills embodied in state learning standards, some wonder whether their efforts make economic sense. After all, the newspapers are full of reports of jobs being outsourced to lower-wage countries and jobs being done by computers. If more and more work is going to be done by computers or by workers in other countries, do current educational reform initiatives make sense? This article presents answers to questions that educators, parents, and youth ask about the educational implications of changes in the American economy. The main message is that there will be good jobs for well-educated Americans. Indeed, the great danger is the continuing decline in earnings opportunities for Americans who lack the skills to do the growing number of jobs requiring expert thinking and complex communication. (Contains 3 figures and 1 note.)