Systems Alignment

Various local, state, and federal agencies fund and manage education, service, and workforce programs. These programs have different funding streams; may have different requirements or criteria for participation based on participant age, location of programming, or provider of the education or training; are held to different accountability standards; and track various outcomes and success metrics. An individual may be receiving education and training in multiple places or be eligible for different funding sources that do not share data, information, or application processes. Such fragmentation across systems complicates the search for information about the value of certain postsecondary pathways and comparisons of options. Siloed accountability systems also make collaboration across sectors difficult when programs have requirements that are at odds with one another or when they do not facilitate smooth transitions for participants. These silos unnecessarily complicate learners’ experiences and are an inefficient use of public funds.

Education leaders, business leaders, and policymakers should align education and credentialing to the existing and predicted structure of what the labor market needs. Cross-sector coordination both enhances and accelerates the quality of intelligence about how workforce needs are changing. Breaking down these silos would also help learners and workers to access and fully utilize the funds available to them through employer and service benefits. Data collection and reporting should provide the public with accessible and transparent dashboards that will inform their decisions about the credentials most likely to lead to economic mobility, and incentives should be aligned to provide learners with valuable credentials in high-demand occupations.