In a 21st century economy, a country needs a 21st century education system. And the U.S. doesn’t have one.

That’s the synopsis of “Waiting for Superman,” a documentary that follows several children and parents in their quest for a better education and outlines the case for reform and the obstacles preventing it. The movie was screened Wednesday by the U.S. and Florida Chambers of Commerce in Tallahassee as part of a 12-city tour.

Chamber officials say they are taking a more active interest in education than in years past and pushing reform because the system is readying students for an industrial, 20th century economy that no longer exists, instead of preparing them for an innovation-based, 21st century economy with increasing global competition.

“We already know what kind of skills they’re going to need, but we haven’t changed our curriculum,” Florida Chamber President Mark Wilson said.

Businesses are essentially looking for math and science to be taught early and often in schools in order to produce the kind of highly educated, highly skilled work force that will be needed in the next few decades. Many public schools are not only not up to that task, but failing to graduate students at an alarming rate.

But “Waiting for Superman” depicts publicly funded, privately run charter schools thriving in poor socio-economic areas where public schools were abysmally failing.

The movie argues that the difference between successful schools and failing schools -- and by extension, successful, college bound students and dropouts -- is simply good and bad teachers.

When superintendents or leaders of local school districts try to get rid of bad teachers, as when Washington, D.C. public schools chancellor Michelle Rhee fired more than 200 teachers, they run into teachers' unions that point to tenure (lifetime appointment), making it very difficult to fire teachers.

In the movie, Rhee argues for the need to get rid of underperforming teachers and pay good teachers more, but was vehemently opposed by the teachers' unions there. Students’ performance in the D.C. school district, which had been among the worst in the nation, dramatically improved after Rhee took over as chancellor.

“Waiting for Superman,” however, doesn’t cover the recent political fallout from the reforms. Mayor Adrian Fenty, who appointed Rhee, lost a primary election in September, quickly followed by Rhee’s resignation, effective at the end of this month.

In Florida, a similar attempt to hold teachers accountable and pay good teachers more came through the state Legislature in the form of Senate Bill 6. The bill was passed but ultimately vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist.

Education reform advocates say the bill was subject to the smear campaign calumnies of the teachers’ unions, not to mention the vagaries of Crist’s political calculations.

“Senate Bill 6 included incentives for teachers and performance. But for a lot of teachers the information they got was that their salary was going to get cut in half,” said Patricia Levesque, executive director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future.

The prospects for future reform in Florida could hinge on the upcoming elections. Democrat Alex Sink, backed by the Florida Education Association, the largest teachers’ union in the state, is locked in a tight battle with Republican Rick Scott.

Outgoing speaker of the Florida House, Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, attended the screening and was asked if something similar to SB 6 could come before legislators again.

“You’ll have to ask Dean Cannon (the incoming speaker),” Cretul replied.

Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.