Committee Happenings & the CSG National Conference

As 2024 quickly approaches, it's important to reflect on the fundamental work that has been achieved this year by our new Midwestern Legislative Conference Education & Workforce Development Committee.

As was referenced in the previous quarterly newsletter, the primary purpose of this committee is to encourage an open dialogue among legislators and policymakers from across the region on issues relating to the school-to-career pipeline and the preparedness of young people and adult learners alike for a dramatically changing labor market.

The Future of the Midwest Energy Workforce

In November, the committee co-hosted an in-person policy workshop (see workshop photo on left) for its members, members of the MLC Energy & Environment Committee, and other legislators from the Midwest. Attendees who traveled to Schaumburg, Ill. gained a better understanding of labor market needs in the renewable energy sector, learned the fundamentals of the German apprenticeship model, visited companies in the Chicagoland area that are incorporating on-the-job training experiences, and engaged in a robust roundtable discussion.

Thank you to the policymakers who took the time to travel to this event and participate in the workshop, and a special thank you to the German Consulate General's office of Chicago for its support of this meeting.

For those of you who were not able to attend, you can still access the various presentation materials HERE

CSG National Conference

The CSG National Conference was held in December in Raleigh, N.C. It was great to see so many representatives from the Midwestern region in attendance and even leading some policy sessions at the conference.

In particular, it's important to highlight the achievements of two members of this committee. Kansas Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin (pictured to the left) and committee co-chair Ohio Sen. Hearcel Craig (pictured above) were recognized at the CSG National Conference as graduates of the 2023 Henry Toll Fellowship Program. Congratulations to you both!

As for the various policy sessions offered at the national conference, quite a few touched on issues relating to education and workforce development, in areas such as state policies to expand the use of apprenticeships, improve educational outcomes, bolster the long-term-care workforce, reskill and upskill state workforces, and address child care and housing needs.

To access the presentation materials from these sessions, click HERE and be directed to a shared Google Drive folder.

In closing, this year has proven to be an incredible start of the biennium, and here's hoping 2024 is just as productive and rewarding.

Education & Workforce Articles

In the past two editions of Stateline Midwest, articles related to education policy or workforce development have appeared as cover stories.

The September/October edition, explored recent state actions to redesign literacy education standards in elementary grades in order to quickly phase-in a new method referred to as the "science of reading." (See map to the left.)

The article can be found HERE

The November/December edition, analyzed a strategy that several Midwestern states have taken to help close existing labor shortages. Through the creation of Offices of New Americans (see map to the left), states can coordinate statewide strategies that connect businesses and economic developers with a pool of willing immigrant workers, while simultaneously implementing policy changes that will meet the social and financial needs of documented immigrants, refugees, and asylees.

The article can be found HERE

Research Resources

Legislative Tracker

Consistent with the work plan approved by committee members in summer 2023, we have developed our first legislative tracker on state laws to address teacher shortages in the 11-state Midwest. 

The legislative tracker can be found HERE

Please contact Derek Cantù if you have a new law to add to the tracker.

Long-term care workers

Please be aware of an opportunity for your legislature and state regarding a partnership between CSG and the Commonwealth Fund. As a result of this collaboration, CSG has been connecting state leaders from across the country to develop ideas for strengthening long-term-care workforces. In the year ahead, CSG plans to offer in-state programming to help state leaders develop policy ideas and solutions.

Please contact Derek Cantù if you are interested in pursuing this opportunity. Additionally, CSG continues its leadership role in facilitating the development of interstate compacts, including new and proposed agreements related to the health workforce.