To Whom It May Concern:

On behalf of the Virginia Manufacturers Association, please accept the following comments on School Performance and Support Framework.

Bridging the gap between Virginia’s K-12 educational system and workforce development is critical to manufacturing competitiveness. Virginia manufacturers need a reliable and predictable talent pipeline to continue making world-class products. Increasing and expanding access to work-ready and industry-recognized credentials in Virginia’s educational system will strengthen our emerging workforce and pave the way for Virginians to get hired in well-paying jobs in high-demand fields.

Schools and superintendents should be measured on the number of industry-recognized credentials their students earn.?Creating performance standards for credentialing would create greater accountability on work-readiness and incentivize career pathways. To support this new accountability framework, Virginia must create greater transparency around career pathways, credentialling, and the costs and benefits of different educational choices.

Regardless of their immediate career pathway – college or work – every student needs access to training and tools to better align their coursework with their career goals. Beginning in 7th grade, every student should have an Academic and Career Plan – a cloud-based education tool or “e-passport” – that allows students and families to better plan and track their educational progression and make smarter decisions, including which courses to take and when to take them.

A traditional college education should not be the only pathway available to Virginia’s students, but it is certainly the one most heavily promoted to them. It is essential that we better inform students about the opportunities available to them and provide adequate information and tools to help them make informed decisions. By investing in a comprehensive consumer facing data dashboard and career exploration tool, Virginia can increase public transparency on educational pathways, educational costs and affordability, career opportunities, and educational and workforce outcomes to better inform students and families on the benefits of pursuing various industry credentials or licenses.

The success of both Virginia industry and that of our students hinges on the ability of our K-12 schools to prepare them for the workforce – whether they enter it immediately after high school or after additional postsecondary school or training. We must raise Virginia’s expectations for credentialling in our K-12 schools by setting performance standards that incentivize positive outcomes.

Creating a world-class talent pipeline that fuels manufacturing competitiveness starts in K-12. The VMA supports institutional performance measurements that ensure the alignment of K-12 policies, programs, and initiatives with industry credential demands.

Sincerely,

Stacie Gordon, Government Affairs Manager

Virginia Manufacturers Association