Increase the focus within postsecondary education on current and future workforce needs

Examine funding formulas to identify changes that would encourage institutions to focus on aligning academic programs to meet industry and employer needs so their students are better prepared with the skills to enter the workforce.   

Improve data governance and use of education and workforce data

Require state coordinating or governing boards to provide campuses and policy leaders with a consistent source of data, analysis and data translation, including:   

• a clear list of high-demand fields in the nation and the state   
• state-level labor market supply and demand data   

Encourage state coordinating or governing boards to provide increased guidance and capacity for universities to collect regional and local workforce supply and demand data.   

Require state coordinating or governing boards to publicly share information about the types of programs, certificates and degrees available across all colleges in the state, in order to help reduce under- and oversaturation in certain disciplines or industries.