Problem

The ACE Promise program solves two problems: one, the lack of skilled workers in in-demand occupations like nursing and two, the need to create opportunities for students to pursue, pay for, and complete a career track higher education program.

Solution

The ACE Promise program builds on an existing program, the Access College Early program, which funds low-income high school student enrollment in dual credit courses. The ACE Promise program would provide community college scholarships to students pursuing certificates, diplomas, or associates degrees in the career field they began in high school.

Dual-credit has had a proven impact on college-going rates for low-income students: 81 percent of students go on to college, vs. 53 percent of low-income students who do not participate.

These “middle-skill” careers account for 56 percent of Nebraska’s labor market, representing true job opportunities for students.

Problem

Every child deserves to attend a school that is warm, safe, dry and equipped for 21st century learning, but aging public school buildings are holding students back. An audit found over 50,000 deficiencies across 306 schools. These deficiencies, which would cost $2.2 billion to repair, range from threats to health and safety, to programmatic deficiencies such as a lack of adequate science labs that speak directly to the ability of the state to prepare students to be successful in the modern economy. Prior to our intervention, the total needs of RI’s school buildings was projected to grow to $2.9 over ten years, , meaning that the cost of repairing schools would have increased an average of $70 million per year in the absence of new action.

Solution

We addressed three challenges: 1. current investment was insufficient to keep up with building deterioration; 2. most of the existing state budget allocation was used for municipal debt service on completed projects, meaning the state was subsidizing borrowing costs of lower-rated communities; and 3. standards failed to ensure building upkeep. The solution invests more resources, more efficiently, with new guardrails including stronger maintenance requirements. The state will provide $500 million in matching grants to school districts, to incentivize improvements and reduce municipal borrowing costs. The state will offer districts extra matching funding for projects affecting student outcomes (i.e. STEAM, safety, early childhood education).

Problem

The cost of post-secondary education continues to rise and so does student debt. Accessible workforce training and college education are essential to achieving financial security for individuals and economic growth for our state. The existing tax incentive for post-secondary education savings is a flat deduction that has been utilized disproportionately by higher-income earners. Current account holders have higher incomes (just 12% earn less than $70,000) and are more likely to be white and reside in metropolitan areas. We are trying to improve the accessibility of post-secondary training and education by fixing our state’s tax incentive for saving. We can make our state more equitable while also boosting the economy & helping state budgets.

Solution

The Education Savings Credit will refund up to $300 per year to Oregon taxpayers, and will equal a percentage of the dollars they save in College Savings Plan accounts, on a sliding scale based on financial need:
-Contributors making less than $30,000: 100% refund up to $300
-Between $30,000 and $70,000: 50% refund up to $300
-Between $70,000 and $100,000: 25% refund up to $300
-Between $100,000 and $250,000: 10% refund up to $300
-More than $250,000: 5% refund up to $300

Research shows that having a College Savings account in a child’s name makes them 3x more likely to enroll in job training or college, and 4x more likely to complete it. We can reduce the barriers to accessibility and make a dent in the crushing load of student debt.

Problem

Today’s economy favors those with college degrees and has been unforgiving to those without. Of the 7.2 million jobs lost in the recession, nearly 80% required only a high school diploma. Conversely, 99% of the jobs created post-recession went to workers with a college education. Our best projections tell us the gap between workers’ skills and employers’ demands will grow.

In Washington, less than half of working adults hold a two- or four-year college degree, while almost 70% of our state’s job openings in the next seven years will require a postsecondary credential. However, for many working adults, college is a long, expensive commitment incompatible with family needs, the constraints of an inflexible work schedule, and a tight budget.

Solution

Complete Washington programs are designed to address the barriers that most often prevent adults from returning to college: cost, scheduling issues, and uncertainty for career advancement. To limit out-of-pocket costs, Complete Washington pathways are designed to capture credit for prior learning, so students who return to school with knowledge gained on the job can bank their experiences toward their degrees. Unlike most online degree programs, Complete Washington courses are offered on a flexible schedule based on competencies gained, rather than time spent. We actively engage industry and labor with two- and four-year institutions in the degree design process to ensure that the program meets the needs of both workers and employers.