2019 Challenge Finalist

Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering

Problem

With so many technological advances, the needs of the workforce are constantly changing. It is imperative that our student’s education caters to those needs and students have the skills to thrive outside of the classroom. Many companies have to look outside of the state to fill high-level jobs in the field of engineering and cyber technology because that has not been the focus of the curriculum in Alabama. If we want to develop a workforce skilled at creating new technology with strong cyber networks that can’t be comprised, we must teach those skills and invest in the next generation of innovators from an early age.

Solution

Alabama will open a new technology- driven magnet school, the Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering, for gifted students grade 7-12 from all across the state to develop a young workforce skilled at creating innovative technology with strong cyber networks that can’t be compromised. The school will also assist teachers, administrators, & superintendents across the state in replicating the curriculum in schools all across the state so that all students will develop the skills that are in high demand to be competitive in the current workforce.

Accelerated Career Certification for the Unemployed/Underemployed

Problem

The problem is that there is an existing gap between labor and the skills needed to fill positions across various industries. According to McKinsey and Company, 40% of American employers say they cannot find people with the skills they need for entry-level jobs; 60% of American employers say applicants are not prepared for entry level jobs. This law also addresses getting unemployed and underemployed individuals back to work – in New Jersey, according to the US Department of Labor, approximately 9% of our workforce is underutilized, amounting to more than 418,000 workers.

Solution

The new law will direct the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Higher Education, county colleges, county vocational schools, and the Adult Education-High School Equivalency Office, to design and implement a pilot program through which an eligible adult may obtain a career and technical certificate on an accelerated schedule. The law will require the commissioner to ensure that the pilot program includes at least 20 “industry recognized” certificate programs, and that the maximum time to complete a program does not exceed 12 months. The law will also require that each course offered through the program integrates appropriate math, English, career and technical instruction.

Fair Fees and Fines for Vulnerable Residents

Problem

San Francisco is the first city in the nation to launch a Financial Justice Project to assess and reform how fees and fines impact our city’s most vulnerable residents. Too often government programs and courts levy fines and fees on people, partly to generate revenue to balance public budgets. There is often an insidious unintended impact of this practice—to push people into poverty. These fines and fees can knock people down so hard they can’t get back up. Poor people and people of color are usually hit the hardest. These financial penalties can make government a driver of inequality, not an equalizer.

Solution

The Financial Justice Project was launched in November 2016. The Project is housed in the Office of the San Francisco Treasurer, the entity in charge of revenue collection for the City and County. Together the Project works with community organizations, advocates, city and county departments, and the courts to enact reforms that result in meaningful change for low-income San Franciscans.

Schools as Centers of Sustainability

Problem

As public institutions, our school facilities are generally not on the forefront of design innovation. With twenty-one schools, the district I represent is one of the biggest property owners in the region, yet completely reliant on fossil fuels. For example, not one of them is powered by solar energy and there is just one car charging station for the several thousand employees in the district. Given this context, made sustainability a priority in the district, by first spearheading a climate change resolution that passed and also pushing for a staff position solely devoted to making great strides in this area. Climate change disproportionately impacts future generations and our schools should lead the way in our climate crisis.

Solution

Creating a sustainability position is not just good for the environment but it is smart economics. Districts across the country are now seeing savings of several hundred thousand dollars by shifting to renewable energy sources, conducting audits on energy and water use and employing innovative strategies. Making sustainability a priority in the form of this position, will foster a more comprehensive educational environment for students growing up in a climate crisis, directly showing them the tangible actions that can be taken.

PTSD Coverage for First Responders

Problem

There is an epidemic of first responders committing suicide in this country. This bill seeks to change the way that we deal with PTSD among them and remove the barriers to them seeking treatment. Additionally, when a peace officer is voluntarily committed for psychiatric help, their service weapon is taken away and they are not able to receive it back for six months – this prevents them from doing their job and earning a living and acts as an additional barrier to seeking help.

Solution

The legislation established eligibility requirements for police officers, fire fighters and parole officers to receive benefits for PTSD. The benefits are limited to 52 weeks available within a four year period from the qualifying event. The workers compensation benefits are decreased by any additional benefits that the individual is receiving (e.g. disability insurance). Allows law enforcement officers to receive their service weapon back before six months if they have been voluntarily committed to a psychiatric institution.

Mobile Mayor

Problem

Most residents do not know what is going on in the City, lack trust in their local government, and face systemic barriers to appropriate access to city services and resources.

Solution

As part of Mayor Schaaf’s Trustworthy & Responsive Government priority area, this is an opportunity for diverse Oaklanders to talk about anything directly with their Mayor and be linked to staff, resources and services in a one-on-one setting.

Library in Every School Plan

Problem

Right now, Michigan is facing a literacy crisis. The MDE reported this week that around 55% of students entering the fourth grade are not reading at grade level.When I was a teacher in Detroit, I had seniors in high school that were reading at an elementary level, and I knew then we needed to make a change.

A lot of this comes down to our state not giving students the tools they need to succeed. When the recession hit, many librarians were laid off and school library programs terminated, and school libraries and librarians across our state still haven’t recovered. Today, only 43% of Michigan schools have a school library, and I believe this is an issue of access and equity at the highest level.

Solution

The solution is improving access to the resources students need to succeed and compete in an ever-changing global economy. With 55 percent of our students falling below grade level in reading, we need to act now to improve literacy access and educational outcomes across our state — and that starts with making sure kids have access to a library in every school along with excellent teachers, literacy coaches, and other critical resources.

While improving access to school libraries and certified librarians is just one piece of this puzzle, it’s a critical piece. because a strong foundation in literacy is the key to all types of academic success down the line.

Helping Understand Barriers (HUB) Prosecutor Diversion Program

Problem

Many people commit non-violent crimes as a means of survival. Social determinants barriers, including unemployment and lack of food, may result in substance use, criminal activity, or other negative behaviors. These individuals often spend months to years cycling through the criminal justice system before they can or are able to make a change. Research supports we need to begin to view the criminal justice system through a public health lens to address recidivism. Our goal is to prevent crime through this front-end fulfillment of social services’ needs.

Solution

We perform an internal review of the cases to determine eligibility for the program. In court, a trained community health worker from a third party provider administers a 36 question screening tool about social determinants barriers and provides linkage to resources to address needs. Resources can include anything from employment prospects, treatment, transportation, or food access. This confidential information is stored in a HIPAA compliant database. The community health worker keeps the defendant on the health worker’s caseload throughout the diversion process to assist with any outstanding issues. Upon successful completion of the program, our prosecutors ask the court to dismiss the criminal case and agree to having the case sealed.

The Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency Act (LETT Act)

Problem

Police-involved deaths are frequently in the national headlines. Where racial profiling and bias in policing is common, this is the worst possible outcome. In Montgomery Co., the impetus for the passage of the LETT Act was the June 11, 2018 shooting death of Robert White, an unarmed 41-year-old resident with a known history of mental health issues, at the hands of a county police officer. In a case where racial profiling and bias played a role, police attempted to stop Mr. White as he walked near his Silver Spring home, killing him in a parking lot during the confrontation. We need to create more trust and transparency in the aftermath of these incidents, not just for the rights of residents but for the safety of law enforcement officers.

Solution

The LETT Act mandates independent investigations and a public report following any police-involved death. This will rebuild the trust lost between local law enforcement and the community — a critical bridge to promote community policing, and reducing crime before it occurs. The LETT Act addresses rebuilds trust between police and the community by requiring new levels of transparency in a critical area: deadly force. Investigators from an independent law enforcement entity deliver their findings to the County State’s Attorney where if charges not be brought, a public report out will occur. Our residents deserve to know what happened in these cases, and we should embrace outside investigations to protect against the potential for bias.

Sustainable Communities

Problem

People in working-class communities make the biggest investments of their lives when buying homes or starting small businesses. But most people’s credit is limited, so expensive sustainable building practices are not an option, and their community misses out on a clean energy infrastructure. At the same time, federal and state officials have left it it up to counties, cities, and towns to address climate change in the aggregate. This community-based initiative removes barriers to sustainable building practices in emerging communities by leveraging federal regulations for bank loan portfolios, thereby leading to increased property values for residents, increased local tax revenues for municipalities, and a sustainable future for all.

Solution

Sustainable Communities brings together local government, a community bank or credit union, and a home or small-business owner to implement a sustainable infrastructure project (such as solar panels or geothermal heat). The individual benefits from government-backed credit at low interest rates, the bank meets federal regulations to maintain secure government-backed loans in its portfolio, and the community sees returns from the increased value of the sustainable project in property tax revenue. With the sustainable project in place, the property owner receives a return on their investment and decreased overhead from lower energy costs, and the entire community and region lower their use of fossil fuels.

Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering

Problem

Solution

Accelerated Career Certification for the Unemployed/Underemployed

Problem

Solution

Fair Fees and Fines for Vulnerable Residents

Problem

Solution

Schools as Centers of Sustainability

Problem

Solution

PTSD Coverage for First Responders

Problem

Solution

Mobile Mayor

Problem

Solution

Library in Every School Plan

Problem

Solution

Helping Understand Barriers (HUB) Prosecutor Diversion Program

Problem

Solution

The Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency Act (LETT Act)

Problem

Solution

Sustainable Communities

Problem

Solution

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