Integrated Education and Training Policy: 50-STATE SCAN

A survey of all 50 states and the District of Columbia found that eighteen states have adopted at least one form of integrated education and training policy.

Author(s)
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock
Author(s) Organizational Affiliation
National Skills Coalition
Publication Year
2016
Resource Type
Informational Material
Number of Pages
22
Abstract

Integrated education and training (IET) policies address the challenge of helping individuals who have basic skill gaps to qualify for middle-skill jobs. These policies encourage the adoption of program models that allow people to develop or refresh basic skills such as math, reading, or spoken English while simultaneously training for a in-demand occupation or industry. These policies are organized into three types:

  • Funding. States can provide funding to local IET programs or partnerships through grants or formula funds, using state or federal resources.
  • Program Initiatives. States can authorize the provision of IET via program initiatives that are part of a state adult education and workforce strategy.
  • Program Requirements. States can go beyond merely authorizing IET by actively requiring the provision of IET.

To assess the extent to which these policies are being implemented, this scan:

  • Reviewed state adult education, community college, and/or workforce board websites;
  • Reviewed relevant sections of state code; and
  • Conducted follow-up calls and emails with key informants to answer questions and confirm findings.

 Key findings are:

  • At least 12 state provide funding for IET.
  • At least 18 states have launched program initiatives using an IET model.
  • No state has established policies requiring IET, although several states have longstanding initiatives that function as de facto requirements. 
What the experts say

Integrated Education and Training Policy: 50-State Scan is highly relevant to adult education. It is a practical resource that summarizes the how academic skills and job-related training can be combined (integrated) and what the states are doing in this regard. The report consists mostly of easy-to-read diagrams summarizing the accomplishments of each state in integrating instruction. It could be used in a study circle of program developers, state education and training directors, and program administrators.

This report is a good overview of the status of Integrated Education and Training Policy as of December 2016. It may be useful for a variety of individuals interested in adult education and the workforce including local leaders who are developing procedures and programs and want to see what other states are providing. Legislators could review this report to understand the status of neighboring and other states for policy development and federal policymakers could consider this information in identifying funding priorities. Certainly, adult education students doing research may have an interest in this report. The map and chart are the most useful features in that both provide information about the states at a glance.

Adult education state leaders, program managers, curriculum writers, and professional developers might use this scan to identify states that have adopted IET systems, but they would need to reach out to their counterparts in those states to learn about how those IET programs were/are created, funded, supported, and organized. The descriptions of what is actually happening in the states are brief and do not describe the substance or quality of the programs. This resource would be more useful if it included model programs and provided more detail on the funding, structure, curricula, instructor training, and other components. 

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