How does postsecondary workforce development policy relate to your work as an adult educator? You're invited to join Tom Keily, from the Education Commission of the States (ECS), and I as we discuss a recent ECS publication on the topic. Postsecondary Workforce Development Policy: What is the Issue and Why Does it Matter? looks at four areas where states have introduced and enacted legislation that forms connections between education and workforce development, in 2019.
Tom and I will be highlighting the four areas, and looking at some examples from states across the U.S. You're invited to read the short brief and join us in the conversation, as we learn more about how workforce development and education are collaborating to serve the needs of our shared communities.
Tom will join us on Friday, December 20th, 2019, by 10AM EST, and we'll continue the conversation throughout the day. Bookmark this thread, and make a note to join us with your questions and comments!
Best,
Mike Cruse
Career Pathways Moderator
michaelcruse@gmail.com
Comments
Welcome, Tom, thank you for joining us today to talk about the report: Postsecondary Workforce Development Policy: What is the Issue and Why Does it Matter? I'm excited to learn more about some of the policy proposals of 2019, and also think towards goals for 2020.
In the report, you note that in 2019 states introduced and enacted legislation that forms connections between education and workforce development, with many states pursuing policy that expands statewide workforce development and education connections. Do you see this as a trend that you expect to continue as we head into 2020? How have states considered ways to support local activity and gain local input through legislation?
Mike Cruse
Career Pathways Moderator
michaelcruse74@gmail.com
Thank you, Mike. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss Education Commission of the States recent publication on postsecondary workforce policies. I look forward to the discussion and answering questions from the community.
Do you see this as a trend that you expect to continue as we head into 2020?
Over the past three years, ECS has observed a consistent volume of enacted legislation connecting education and workforce development. In addition to trends in legislative activity, ECS has observed governors prioritizing workforce development in their state of the state addresses. Based on the bills ECS has tracked thus far for the upcoming 2020 legislative session, it appears state legislators are continuing to consider legislation that would make connections between education and workforce development.
How have states considered ways to support local activity and gain local input through legislation?
The legislation that ECS captured during the 2019 legislative session included several bills that required local input or regional considerations. Many states have created partnerships and working groups that include local or regional participation and membership. I will discuss the partnership and working group category in more detail later in the session, but one observation in the category is that states are considering ways to include local and regional perspectives as they examine, plan, and implement programs.
Workforce needs in different regions in states are frequently part of workforce development discussion in states. States have considered many different ways to engage and consider local differences; however, one common area is through the creation of partnerships and working groups. Often the creation of study commissions and boards requires input and membership of regional entities. Entities in legislation can include but are not limited to, workforce development providers, adult educators, businesses, higher education providers and K-12 education.
It's good to hear that more states are forming partnerships and working groups to include local and regional participation in policy development. You note in the report that states have enacted legislation relating to postsecondary education and workforce development in the following four areas:
Can you tell us more about the general approaches some states are taking to address these four areas through legislation? How are states including and using local perspectives to inform workforce development and educational systems in the state? Do you see these trends in other policy areas relating to education and workforce development, including adult education?
Can you tell us more about the general approaches some states are taking to address these four areas through legislation?
Career pathways and skills
Generally, states are looking for opportunities to create a skilled workforce. One approach is by connecting people with educational and training opportunities. In 2019 states enacted policy that forms or directs the creation of pathways to earn credentials and degrees. Frequently, the policy identifies specific populations or fields of study. With an increase in activity around apprenticeships, some states enacted policy that connects postsecondary education credit to participate in apprenticeships.
Partnerships and working groups
Each state has a workforce development board, as required under the federal Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act, that engages a range of workforce development stakeholders in the state. Through legislation, some states have added or modified members to include stakeholders from K-12, postsecondary education, and health and human services. Beyond board composition, some states have required postsecondary education, businesses and workforce systems to develop programs, pathways, work-based learning and apprenticeship. As discussed earlier, states have also considered local and regional input and perspectives through partnerships and working groups. A final approach that states have taken is to require partnerships to examine and study ways to connect education and workforce development in the state.
Financial incentives
States have considered financial incentives related to education and workforce development to support three general groups educational institutions, individuals and business. The incentive provided to institutions is often through direct appropriations or grants to institutions or systems. There are some instances of financial support for programs tied to stakeholder collaboration. Common forms of financial support for individuals included financial aid, grants or loan repayment. In some instances, the support is for specific programs or high-demand fields of study.
Workforce data
State policymakers and leaders reported that having access to education and workforce data is important for making informed policy decisions related to workforce development. In 2019 there was limited activity around workforce data. Later in the discussion, we will discuss this in more detail.
How are states including and using local perspectives to inform workforce development and educational systems in the state?
As noted in the response in the previous set of questions, states are considering ways to engage and inform local perspectives in workforce development systems in their state. During the 2019 legislative session Education Commission of the States captured several bills that required local input or regional considerations. Many states have created partnerships and working groups that include local or regional participation and membership.
Needs in different regions in states are frequently part of workforce development discussion in states. States have considered many different ways to engage and consider local differences; however, one common area is through the creation of partnerships and working groups. Often the creation of study commissions and boards requires input and membership of regional entities. Entities in legislation can include but are not limited to, workforce development providers, adult educators, businesses, higher education providers and K-12 education.
Do you see these trends in other policy areas relating to education and workforce development, including adult education?
While ECS' tracking focuses on education policy relating to workforce development, we have observed through other organization's work similar trends in other areas of workforce development policy, including adult education. The elements of the policy may differ but there are instances of the creation of pathways, collaboration and partnership, financial incentives and data within other areas of workforce development policy.
Thanks for outlining these four areas. I have a few questions related to career pathways policy-making:
LINCS Members, do you have any questions, or observations, about career pathways policies in your state?
Regarding the increasing number of states enacting career pathways-related legislation, are the majority being created through legislation taking place at the postsecondary level?
Career pathways are created at a range of educational levels and through a variety of methods. ECS’ work primarily looks at pathways through K-12 and postsecondary education systems. States are considering workforce development pathways through other systems, including training programs.
Through the postsecondary workforce legislative tracking done by ECS, we observe states enacting legislation that creates pathways for specific populations, including adults and those not currently engaged with postsecondary education institutions. Based on observations and work conducted by other organizations, states are considering pathways at the institutional level in postsecondary systems that include partnerships with local workforce stakeholders, including businesses. Outside of the postsecondary setting, states have created pathways at the secondary level. Often these pathways link to postsecondary education or careers.
Are states aligning skill development and career pathways in the secondary setting with opportunities for career and postsecondary education?
Based on legislation observed in secondary career and technical education, Education Commission of the States has observed states connecting pathways in a secondary CTE setting with postsecondary education and careers. In both CTE and postsecondary workforce legislation there is a common trend of states aligning work-based learning with career pathways, which can range from job shadowing to apprenticeships.
How are states identifying target populations and career pathways?
The process for identifying pathways and populations is not frequently included in legislation. However, based on work conducted by Education Commission of the States and observations in the field, states uses a series of data sources to identify high-need industries and skills in their state. In some instance states use labor and economic data to identify industries or sectors that are growing in the state to then identify pathways to support workforce development in those sectors.
What metrics are they using to identify needs and inform decisions about career pathways, and how are states supporting adults who seek additional education and training through career pathways?
Legislations does not frequently outline the metrics used to identify needs or inform decisions. In some instances, legislation requires a group of government agencies, such as workforce and education agencies, to identify needs and align training and education pathways or programs with the needs.
States have considered and enacted workforce and education pathways legislation that connects adults with additional education and training. For example, in 2019, Kansas passed legislation that creates the Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas program. In the program, adults above the age of 21 can earn a high school equivalency credential and industry credential through career pathways approved by the state board of regents.
You mention that in some states, there are requirements for working partnerships between postsecondary education, businesses, and workforce systems to support programs, pathways, work-based learning and apprenticeship opportunities. In those cases, before codifying partnerships, some states enact legislation to create working groups studying the best ways to make these connections.
Would you provide an example of a state with legislation creating working groups to study the best way to connect postsecondary education, businesses and workforce systems?
In 2017, Vermont passed legislation that directed the Commissioner of Labor and the Chair of the Vermont Workforce Development Board to convene a working group on the state’s workforce development system. The group collaborated with state agencies, stakeholders and workforce education and training providers to assess Vermont’s workforce education, development, and training programs. Through the assessment process, the group to identify service delivery models that could better serve the needs of workers and employers in the state. The working group produced six recommendations.
The Vermont legislature passed a bill to address, in part, the recommendations from the working gorup. The legislation directs the State Workforce Development Board, over three years, to collaborate with the department of labor and agencies of commerce and community development, education, human services, agriculture, food and markets, natural resources and transportation to align, coordinate and engage workforce stakeholders. The bill requires the board to develop career pathways beginning no later than seventh grade. Pilot career readiness programs for middle school students and approve up to four career and technical education pilot projects. Ensure funding for adult training programs that responds to labor market demands and gives adult learners necessary knowledge to enter the workforce. Allow adult training programs to be offered at regional CTE centers, nonprofit and private entities and institutions of higher education.
What approach(es) were taken for convening these collaborative working groups, and what best practices do you see from across the states that have adopted working groups to form partnerships?
Often legislation outlines the membership of the working group and the primary convener of the working group. In some instances, legislation identifies an agency, and it is up to the agency to identify the specific person who will convene the working group. While I cannot comment on best practices, I can provide an example of how a state has approached convening a collaborative working group. In 2019, Vermont passed legislation that requires the department of labor to work with qualified training providers, the Vermont Department of Children and Families and health care providers to increase the availability of training programs that lead to credentials in health care, construction, manufacturing and child care. Additionally, the department of labor, department of education, Vermont State Colleges and Vermont Adult Technical Education Association are required to examine and report on the design, implementation and cost of an integrated postsecondary career and technical education system.
Your report notes an increasing number of states provide financial support to persons engaged in postsecondary education and training. This support comes in the form of financial aid, grants or loan repayment to individuals in specific programs or high-demand fields of study. You've noted that in 2019, at least 18 states enacted legislation providing financial incentives for postsecondary education workforce development.
Of these 18 states that have enacted legislation providing financial incentives for postsecondary education workforce development, what have you seen as common threads in how it is funded and allocated to eligible adults?
Of these 18 states that have enacted legislation providing financial incentives for postsecondary education workforce development, what have you seen as common threads in how it is funded and allocated to eligible adults?
To foster program development and collaboration, as well as support student access to workforce education and training, states provide funding and incentives for institutions and students.
Frequently, financial supports to institutions come through direct appropriation or grant programs that either support institutional program development or infrastructure. In some instances, financial support for program creation requires collaboration among stakeholders. For example, Illinois enacted legislation in 2019 that requires the state board to establish and administer the 21st Century Employment grant program. Community colleges and public high schools that establish collaborative partnerships with workforce development organizations can apply for the grant. The applicants must submit a plan that outlines the collaboration, how the program will develop specific professional skills, a description of who will enroll in the program, the certificates offered and a budget. The state board is required to create an advisory council for the grant program.
As mentioned earlier, states considered ways to provide financial support to individuals to access additional education and training. Financial support for individuals often comes in the form of financial aid, grants or loan repayment. For example, North Dakota enacted legislation in 2019 that creates and appropriates funds for the skilled workforce loan repayment program and skilled workforce scholarships. Each year the state will appropriate $3 million to each program. On a biennial basis, the state board of higher education must report to the legislature on the programs. Individuals eligible for loan repayment must complete an educational program in a high-demand field. The recipients must reside in the state and work in the high-demand field. The workforce scholarship requires eligible individuals to pursue a degree or credential through a qualified program that is in a high-demand field identified by the department of higher education and workforce development council. The degree and certificate programs must be completed in four semesters.
In 2019, at least nine states introduced bills related to education and workforce development data. Among those states, three enacted legislation. Are states aligning or connecting K-12 education, postsecondary education and workforce data through legislation? What challenges do you see to states enacting legislation around data collection?
Are states aligning or connecting K-12 education, postsecondary education and workforce data through legislation?
Workforce data tends to see the least amount of activity out of the four categories in our legislative tracking. Some states have enacted legislation that permits the sharing or release of data across education and workforce entities in the state. For example, in 2019, Montana enacted legislation that permits the state K-12 agency to release student-level information to the commission of higher education and the department of labor to ensure the K-12 education system meets the expectation of Montana's universities and workforce.
Regardless of limited legislative activity within a year, states have aligned K-12, postsecondary and workforce data systems. Based on a 2019 50-state comparison conducted by ECS, 16 states connect their data across pre-kindergarten, K-12, postsecondary and workforce systems.
What challenges do you see to states enacting legislation around data collection?
While I cannot speak to the challenges of enacting legislation around data collection, ECS has found through a series of interviews with state-level education and workforce policymakers and agency representatives that there are barriers to sharing and analyzing existing data. The interviewees expressed that limited capacity to analyze data and barriers to sharing data across agencies was a common problem that kept them from maximizing the utility of data that does exist in the state.
A big thank you to Tom for joining us today to talk about postsecondary workforce development and education policy. ECS's report, and Tom's comments, have given us all a lot to think about as we wind down 2019.
I encourage us all to read Tom's comments and reflect on how adult educators need to be part of these policy discussions. I also invite you to send suggestions about what you need more of from LINCS, to be engaged in relevant policy discussions in your state. How can LINCS support you in becoming a more informed champion for robust career pathways, apprenticeships, and other work-based learning opportunities in 2020?
Best,
Mike Cruse
Career Pathways Moderator
michaelcruse74@gmail.com
Hello Tom and Mike,
So far in this discussion I have seen no mention of adult basic skills education or of WIOA Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy. Have I missed that part of this discussion? As you know, there is a lot of activity in the adult basic skills education field with what are known as Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs that simultaneously offer adult basic skills (often English language for immigrants) along with occupational training. This was also brought about, I believe, by provisions in WIOA policy.
Tom, I think you have mentioned efforts to share data among K-12, higher education and workforce development in several states, but I haven't seen mention of including education outcomes data from the programs funded through WIOA Title II. The only state that I am aware of that has been trying to connect adult basic skills outcomes, for example with state employment outcomes, is Rhode Island. Are you aware of any other states that are trying to do that? If not, why do you think this isn't happening? Weren't there federal grants available for a few years for states to work on connecting K-12 education outcomes to employment outcomes? Were adult basic skills outcomes overlooked in that effort, or were states just not interested in including adults?
Thanks for any insights you might have about this.
David J. Rosen
Thanks for your comments and question, David. Tom referenced WIOA early on when we began discussing career pathways and skills, as one of the four areas in which states are focusing. Tom says, "Each state has a workforce development board, as required under the federal Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act, that engages a range of workforce development stakeholders in the state." Our conversation goes on to focus on what's happening at the state and local level within the framework of states' workforce development boards.
The example from Vermont may be one where we see Title II's impact. Tom commented that Vermont's legislation included provisions to, "ensure funding for adult training programs that responds to labor market demands and gives adult learners necessary knowledge to enter the workforce". It also, "allow[s] adult training programs to be offered at regional CTE centers, nonprofit and private entities and institutions of higher education". Tom may be able to tell us whether this legislation was informed by adult education data outcomes.
You cite Rhode Island (RI) as the only state you're aware of that "has been trying to connect adult basic skills outcomes, for example, with state employment outcomes". Can you give us more context on how RI is working to connect these two outcomes to better inform policy at the state level? That would be most helpful.
Best,
Mike Cruse
Career Pathways Moderator
michaelcruse74@gmail.com
Hello David,
Thank you for your questions. Through the scope ECS uses in our postsecondary workforce development legislative tracking it is not likely that we capture a high volume of WIOA title II activity or the collection of data relating to adult programs. The Vermont example that Mike references is the most notable activity in this area that we have captured over the last two legislative cycles. Based on the information that we have access to, we cannot comment on whether or not adult education data outcomes were used to inform the legislative process in Vermont.
If you have more information on the Rhode Islands example that you reference I would be interested in learning more.
Thank you,
Tom
There isn't yet a published record of Rhode Island's efforts around connecting adult education data to post-secondary and workforce outcomes, but the brief outline below is from the project team who are continuing to work with their data partners to draw out lessons from this project. Stay tuned, as I hope we may provide more information about their efforts in the future.
Measuring Impact: Research on the Economic and Social Impact of Adult Education Programs in Rhode Island
Research is underway to study various Rhode Island (RI) state agencies' data in relation to adult education data to map individuals' trajectories from K12 to postsecondary education and the workforce. Using the RI DataHUB maintained by DataSpark at the University of Rhode Island will allow a range of economic and social outcomes to be compared for RI adult education program participants relative to similar RI adults who did not participate in these programs. The outcomes will be discussed in the context of similar project findings in other regions as well as the context of RI adult education programs. This work is supported by grants to the Rhode Island Department of Education from the US Department of Education's Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) program and to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training from the US Department of Labor's Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI).
Project Team:
The project team brings together researchers and practitioners with a unique set of knowledge, skills and experience.
Stephen Reder is Professor Emeritus at Portland State University and serves as Principal Investigator. He is an internationally and nationally prominent scholar in adult education. He has authored research briefs for the U.S. Department of Education on the long-term impacts of adult basic skills programs on social and economic outcomes, linking data collected in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning with state administrative data from Oregon and Washington.
Jill Holloway is Director of the Adult Education Professional Development Center at the West Bay Collaborative in Warwick, Rhode Island. She has extensive experience working with policymakers and practitioners in adult education and has worked on the state’s Data Sharing Advisory Committee.
Dorothyjean Cratty is a research consultant serving as an advisor on the project. She is a national expert on the use of state cross-sector longitudinal data systems in education and labor research and led the development of the RI Research Hub. She co-manages the DATA-COPE user group of state and district data analysts and research partners, and is documenting this project’s best practices for the DATA-COPE book series.
Karisa Tashjian is the Director of Education at the Providence Public Library in Providence, RI where she leads the design and implementation of educational and workforce development programming across all ages including the Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative, an adult education program.
Best,
Mike Cruse
Career Pathways Moderator
michaelcruse74@gmail.com