Terry McAuliffe’s
Business
PlAn
for Virginia
Chapter Four: exCellenCe in Virginia’s eduCation
From early Childhood to CompetitiVe
employment
Terry McAuliffe’s
Business Plan
for Virginia
Chapter Four:
Excellence in
Virginia’s Education
from Early Childhood
to Competitive
Employment
Overview
The McAuliffe Strategy for High Quality affordability through increased student aid
programs and a new ”Scholars for Service”
Education and Workforce Development program. And, we need to support our
Attracting businesses is primarily about human community colleges. In short, every Virginian
capital: businesses — particularly those with who seeks to continue his or her education
the potential to produce good jobs with good and successfully attain a college degree
wages and benefits — will locate where they should be able to do so, regardless of
can find the skilled workers they need. To financial means.
attract the employers and jobs we want in
the future, we need to ensure that Virginia has 2. Fill in the Base: Improving
the best-educated, best-trained, and most skilled
workforce in the world. We must tackle this K-12 Education.
challenge at every level of our educational system. We need to invest in school buildings,
including expanded access to technology
1. Start by Reaching for the and broadband and especially focus on what
we know works in improving education:
Top: Higher Education. supporting our teachers. And we need to
Virginia has excellent two- and four-year offer all our kids high-quality educational
institutions that educate our young people, opportunities starting from early childhood.
train our workforce and serve as a base for • Cultivate Innovation throughout the
economic spin-offs. But we can do more to Education System: Achieving better results
commercialize university research. We can for students — increased graduation rates,
use increased commercialization to fund increased high wage employment, decreased
expanded university programs and to help dropout rates, decreased remediation and
keep tuitions low, so more Virginians can decreased unemployment — requires creative
afford college. We can also improve solutions in schools. Outdated instruction
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 2
methods and content will leave our youth ill- provides a tremendous opportunity to combat
equipped for 21st century jobs. That’s why our the cycles of poverty, risks to public safety,
system must embrace innovation. Schools escalating truancy and drop-out rates. I am
need interesting, engaging coursework for also committed to laying the foundation for
students at each stage of their development. basic skills in the early grades.
Idea: “Better schools and better education
will bring ideas for a better future.” 3. Make the Link: Workforce.
Source; Raulin Angulo, Mechanicsville, “Tell The workforce system is too often overlooked
Terry” Submission as part of a human capital investment strategy.
While we invest in a good education system for
• Recruit, Train, and Retain High-Performing our kids, we should also help older students
Teachers: Achieving excellence within Virginia’s make the transition from the schoolroom to the
Pre-K – 12 system depends largely upon our workplace. A strong workforce development
ability to attract and retain the best teachers. system will tell employers around the world
Good teachers are the key to boosting that they can find the workers they want here
education outcomes. As we face baby boomer in Virginia. We will create a demand-driven
retirements and high turnover in the new system that trains workers for the jobs that
teacher workforce, Virginia has to focus on employers need.
creative methods to recruit and retain the
highest quality teachers. Forty-six percent of
teachers will leave the profession in the first
five years. We need to reverse this trend.
• Ensure a Strong Start: As Governor, I will
continue Virginia’s progress in providing a
strong start for our youngest citizens. With
nearly 90% of the brain developing before
the age of five, high-quality early education
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 3
Terry’s Strategic Starting Points
Opportunities:
• Strong commitment to Pre-K
• Legacy of innovation and use of technology in High School
• The Commonwealth’s ability to compete in the global knowledge-based
economy
• Regional educational attainment varies considerably.
• As a result of President Obama’s economic stimulus package, approximately
$100 billion will benefit public school education over the next few years.
Challenges:
• Virginia must secure and retain high-performing teachers through competitive
compensation and incentives to ensure that all children receive a world-class
education.
• Providing all children the tools required to attain meaningful employment in a
high-demand trade or skill
• The high cost of college is too much for many families.
• American workers must have the tools and skills needed to compete in the
21st century economy.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 4
reaChing For the top: higher ed
My Business Plan for Virginia aims to make Virginia can do more to put higher education
our Commonwealth a leader in renewable within reach of most of our citizens. Virginia
energy and green jobs. All of these industries again received an “F” in college affordability
depend on a well-educated and well-trained in the recent Measuring Up 2008 report from
workforce. The major source of these workers the National Center for Public Policy. The
will be our schools, community colleges, report noted that poor and working-class
four-year institutions, and research labs. families in Virginia would have to devote 31
percent of their income, even after receiving
Virginia’s economic prosperity depends upon aid, to pay for a two-year college degree.
a higher education system that can be agile Financial aid has reached the same
and responsive to the demands of the job percentage of in-state students in the last six
market of the future. The federal Bureau of years — only about 14 percent of in-state
Labor Statistics estimates that by 2014 over undergraduates. Increases in General Fund
25 percent of job openings will require a financial aid have only kept up with the
college degree, while the vast majority of increases in tuition and fees. We must do
jobs will require at least some post-secondary more.
education. Jobs requiring an Associate’s
Degree are projected to grow 32 percent, As Governor, I will:
increasing faster than any other occupational
group categorized by education or training. • Increase commercialization of research
at Virginia universities. Virginia has the
To attract high-value, high-wage jobs and opportunity to leverage its entrepreneurial
industries, and to keep our talented young strength, as well as our technology,
people in Virginia, we must provide more of science, and research capacity, to develop
them with the education they will need to fill commercial solutions that address
these high-paying jobs. To make that possible contemporary challenges and generate
for every Virginian, we must control the licensing revenues for innovators and
increasing cost of higher education. As I institutions. Other states have done far
noted in Chapter Three of my Business Plan, more in this area. For example, between
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 5
progress and recommend changes to
streamline the commercialization process.
– Use my business experience to bring
together the creativity and intellectual
resources available in our universities,
including our Historically Black
Colleges and Universities, and the
practical know-how of businesses to
create powerful partnerships. Such
partnerships can remove bottlenecks
associated with many commercialization
2000 and 2007, total licensing revenue efforts because the universities and
from twelve Florida universities totaled businesses work together from the
$528.8 million. It’s time for Virginia to catch outset to design the research programs,
up. We are better positioned than most establish the licensing relationships,
states to be at the cutting-edge of test the technology, and develop the
technological advancement. market opportunity.
In Virginia, we have all the necessary factors – Create the Governor’s Innovator Award
in place — the benefit of world-renowned to highlight the work of an outstanding
research universities, the Commonwealth project team each year, especially
Research and Commercialization Fund those that feature a full partnership
(CRCF), and the Center for Innovative between a university and business;
Technology. All of these are focused on this award will recognize achievement
stimulating research and commercializing and provide a cash grant to the project
innovations. In fact, CRCF reports a 6.7 to support continued efforts.
return on investment since 2002. For the
initial 2002 investment of $26 million, • Require that 50 percent of money leveraged
CRCF and the universities have been able from the commercialization of university
to leverage more than $167 million in research be used to lower tuition costs at
additional research expenditures. universities across the board. I have set
this ambitious 50% goal based upon the
We can build on this and do even better – by achievements of other teaching institutions,
making sure the process to commercialize such as the Massachusetts Institute of
University-based breakthroughs is streamlined Technology (MIT).
and direct, establishing clear and
straightforward guidelines for screening • Better publicize the Virginia Guaranteed
and assessing commercialization potential Assistance Program (VGAP) and make it
so that research can move to market more a true guarantee program. VGAP provides
quickly. As Governor, I will: financial aid to Virginia students who both
demonstrate financial need and maintain a
– Direct the new Innovation and 2.5 grade point average. The program can
Entrepreneurship Investment Authority, be better marketed to high school students
created this legislative session by Delegate early in their school careers. Most importantly,
Vanderhye’s HB2201, in conjunction with we should guarantee financial aid for any
Virginia’s colleges and universities, to student who demonstrates financial need,
review all laws, regulations, and policies who formally commits to meeting certain
related to university research. I will ask the criteria, and successfully follows through.
Authority to identify policies that hinder Some states like Wisconsin, Indiana and
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 6
core transfer programs had a better chance
of successfully attaining a bachelor degree.
I will challenge our higher education system
leaders to develop a plan to identify all
courses that will be guaranteed transferable
to a four-year university or college.
Transferability of credits between colleges
will assist in reducing expenses associated
with repeating courses or losing the time
and money invested in courses that are not
recognized for credit between institutions.
Oklahoma guarantee full tuition and fees • Bring the Virginia Early College Scholars
at designated institutions. That should be Program to every high school in the
our goal in Virginia. Commonwealth. The Early College Scholar
Program allows high school students to
• Create the “Scholars for Service” loan
earn college credit while completing an
forgiveness program. We will tap into the
Advanced Studies Program. Earning a
idealism and spirit of our people by
college degree in one less semester can
providing more opportunities for them to
save students and their families an average
attend college when they commit to
of $5,000. The Early College Scholars
working in underrepresented professions,
program allows eligible high school students
in high-need areas of the commonwealth,
to earn at least 15 hours of transferable
to teach, or to work in public service. For
college credit while completing the
two years of commitment to service,
requirements for an Advanced Studies
Scholars for Service will be eligible for four
Diploma. The result is a more productive
years of loan forgiveness, up to a maximum
senior year and a substantial reduction in
amount determined by the average cost of
college tuition. Dual enrollment, which
tuition in a public college. Modeled after
enables students to enroll in credit-bearing
the Loan Repayment Program for health
college courses while in high school,
care professionals, we can create a new
represents another approach to acceleration—
generation of service and help graduates
one that every eligible student should be
pay off the loans built up while in school.
able to take advantage of. While many of
We will target services and areas of need
these initiatives are targeted to high-
around the commonwealth and offer the
achieving and highly motivated young
Scholars for Service an opportunity to
people, others are designed for students
work or teach in communities of high need.
who might not otherwise be college-bound,
• Continue the progress on transferability giving these students the opportunity to
of credits from the community college study richer content and learn what the
system to four-year institutions. Our college experience might be like.
colleges and universities have made great
• Make it easier to earn credit hours through
progress in aligning requirements for
nontraditional means. Many adult students
course work to make transferring credits
have life experiences in and out of the
easier. We should take the next step and
workplace that provide a skills base on
guarantee that a student earning an
which they can build. Other state schools
associate degree can transfer that course
have found ways to offer credit for these
work to a four-year college or university.
experiences. As a way to save thousands
Recent research shows that students who
of dollars and significant time in pursuit of
were able to take advantage of a core-to-
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 7
– Continue to focus Virginia’s workforce
development efforts at V C C S .
Governor Kaine has made strides in
this area and I will continue the
progress. See the Workforce section
later in this chapter for more
information on how we can do this.
– Establish a challenge grant program.
Virginia needs to develop more public/
private partnerships to support the
connection between community colleges
a college degree, Vermont Community and business. This initiative will challenge
Colleges provide credit to students based businesses to match public funds to target
upon learning acquired through work or the development of new skills training
other non-college experiences. Vermont programs in high-growth industries and
Community College students have earned technology areas.
credit in business, education, social services,
religious studies, journalism, aviation,
environmental studies, office administration, Idea: “Employers need to be called upon
manufacturing, nursing, real estate, and a to help with work-related training.
host of other fields. I will ask Virginia’s Schools can provide basics and
Community College presidents to outline universals, but employers need to
proposals to give actual credit to students for contract with the community colleges
work experiences. for specialized training.”
• Increase support for the Virginia Source: Sarah Williams, Bristol
Community College System. Virginia’s
community colleges provide a less
expensive alternative for the first two years – Expand entrepreneurship classes, offer
of college, and they have become key more marketing and management
participants in workforce development, as courses, and bring the expertise of
well. Virginia’s community colleges are industry professionals to the classroom.
located in every part of the state and have
the capacity to educate citizens in a wide – Challenge VCCS and our four-year
variety of fields — in preparation for the institutions to become a force in the
workforce or for a four-year institution. We economic development of the future
must continue to support the community by offering courses in renewable energy,
colleges. alternative fuels and other next-generation
technologies, like weatherization.
• As Governor, I will:
• Promote learning communities that are
– Direct stimulus funds toward VCCS. proven to improve the persistence rate
We need to continue to support the from freshman to sophomore year. Learning
Virginia Community College System as communities are typically defined as cohorts
the primary workforce engine in the of students taking two or more courses
Commonwealth. As the federal stimulus together. The courses are often linked
package funds continue to be funneled thematically, and the community structure
towards states, VCCS should be a allows students deeper interactions with
priority for receiving them. one another and with their instructors.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 8
Connecting students to one another and Of course, the most important step we can
to a meaningful course sequence can take to ensure that more Virginia students
powerfully shape learning habits and complete college is to make sure that they
environments. show up for the first day fully prepared to
start college.
• Help more students who start college to
finish. The Council on Virginia’s Future
recently reported that Virginia’s public
institutions of higher education will need
to increase annual degree achievement by
32 percent by 2025 in order to be competitive
with the best-performing nations. Many
students struggle when they get to college,
in part because of outside factors like the
need to hold a job (or, in some cases,
several jobs). Even when students are able
to afford college, the necessities of life —
such as room and board — still go on and
students may need to work to pay the bills
even while they study. Traditional higher
education assistance and student loan
programs do not cover these non-educational
expenses. I will work with our institutions of
higher education and our state’s lenders to
create a state-guaranteed, low-cost loan
program to help fund these expenses until
a student graduates, in order to help
students stay focused on their schoolwork.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 9
improVing K-12 eduCation
Cultivate Innovation
Virginia has become a national leader in Idea: “Increased opportunities for students
innovative approaches to education. In 2007, to use computer technology in the
Education Week ranked Virginia as the state classroom will help prepare them for
in which a child had the best chance of life future careers in the 21st century in
success. Our schools have consistently high addition to providing a highly skilled and
rankings in national listings of the best trained workforce for employers seeking
schools in the nation. Last year Virginia to relocate their industries to Virginia.”
ranked third in the nation for the percentage Source: Sheila Koester, Woodbridge, “Tell
of high school seniors earning a score of Terry” Submission
three or higher on Advanced Placement (AP)
examinations. We n e e d t o c o n t i n u e t h i s f o r w a r d
Virginia has also emerged as a national leader in momentum — and tackle the areas in which
using new technologies for classroom learning. our state still lags. We need more new and
The Education Week 2009 Annual Report, innovative ideas in education — ideas that
Technology Counts: Breaking Away from Tradition, recognize the centrality of real-world experience
gave Virginia high marks for the inclusion of and the connection to jobs and business that
technology within schools: A- in the Use of is necessary for a competitive school system
Technology, B in Capacity to Use Technology, and in the 21st century.
A- in Access to Technology.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 10
Admission to at least community
college would be guaranteed without
further admissions processes, placement
tests, or remediation.
– Allowing students who do not pass the
initial assessment to focus on their areas of
academic deficiency during their senior
year of high school. This will help them
determine if they are truly ready for the
college experience. Through this effort,
more high-achieving, goal-oriented young
As Governor, I will: people who may not have thought of
themselves as college bound will be given
• Fully fund the Standards of Quality. We
both the incentive and the preparation to
will not be able to make progress in
pursue a college degree.
education if sufficient funding is not made
available to school divisions. I am committed – Expanding availability of the Early College
to fully funding the SOQ. High School Initiative so that more students
in small Virginia schools will have the
• Expand Virginia’s nationally acclaimed
opportunity to earn a high school diploma
“Senior Year Plus” program. Increasingly,
and an associate’s degree (or up to two
educators and public officials across the country
years of college credit) in five years.
are recognizing that the senior year of high
school is not being used effectively. The National • Expand availability of online Advanced
Council on Education and the Economy has Placement courses. Online offerings are a way
actually called for eliminating the last two years to level the playing field between bigger better-
of high school and replacing them with either a off schools and schools that lack resources.
more rigorous career track or straight entry into Estimates suggest that online AP courses cost
college-level courses. Virginia is a leader in $1,000 to $2,000 less per student than traditional
getting more of our students into college level Advanced Placement classes. I am committed
work in the senior year, and I want to take the to expanding our Virtual Virginia program, which
next step by making the senior year offers AP courses online.
a fuller and more advanced educational
experience for all Virginia young people — • Expand alternative education opportunities
whether college- or career-bound. We will do in Virginia. Not all kids learn the same way
this by: or have the same needs. That’s why we
need to expand innovative approaches to
– Taking the existing concept of dual learning. Our nationally recognized Governor’s
enrollment further by giving Virginia’s Schools and the Governor’s Academies
traditional high school senior the option for Career and Technical Education provide
of becoming a fully-matriculated college alternative opportunities for students.
or technical education student. Public charter schools should also be a
part of the mix when local school systems
– Replicating California’s program in
choose that option. But, all schools,
which high school juniors participate
including alternatives such as charters,
in a voluntary assessment to determine
must be held to strict standards of
their readiness for college courses.
accountability. And these options need to
Those who are ready can bypass
supplement, not divert funding from, our
senior year and go straight to college.
public schools.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 11
Idea: “There needs to be a more aggressive
and serious emphasis on vocational
training. High school students aren’t
taking advantage of programs where
they can learn the skills that will help
them find work and provide for their
family’s needs.”
Source: Sheryl Lee, Chester, “Tell Terry”
Submission
• Continue to prioritize transitions between • Make Virginia a leader in Science, Technology,
high schools and colleges, between two- Engineering and Math (STEM) education.
and four-year colleges, and between Our economy and our children’s ability to
retur ning college students and the compete in the 21st century will depend largely
workplace. We need to improve our data upon regaining our status as a world leader in
systems throughout our educational segments. scientific fields. I will develop an integrated effort
Virginia is well on its way to development of a to make sure that Virginia produces the best-
longitudinal data system for students at the trained teachers in STEM fields and provides
K-12 level. But we need to go further and students from young grades stimulating
integrate this with teacher data, as well as with courses and opportunities to learn in these
the higher education system. I will provide the areas, so that they can go on to universities
leadership, direction, and commitment to themselves and become leaders in scientific
working with the state and federal regulatory and technology disciplines. We will achieve
environment to make this happen. And, as I these goals through:
noted in Chapter Three of my Business Plan, I
will direct the P-16 Council to report to me within – Improving education and training in math,
120 days on ways to improve the link between science and technological skills for college-
high school and college admissions. I will level education students and existing
challenge the P-16 Council to develop additional teachers by integrating education studies
initiatives to align high school standards with with substantive math and science studies.
college and workforce requirements. Future math and science teachers will not
only augment their math and science
• Expect that our students will pursue an training through improved interactions with
Advanced Studies or Advanced Technical these disciplines on their campuses, but
Diploma. We must raise expectations also through interactions with the business
about college readiness for students, community in related math, science
starting in grade 7 and continuing through and even engineering endeavors. Similar
high school. Currently, the standard high ongoing opportunities will be provided to
school diploma does not require enough teachers already in-service.
credits to gain acceptance to most four-
year higher education institutions in Virginia. – Developing innovative math and science
I will ask the state Board of Education enrichment programs for students in
to make the current Advanced Studies/ grades 6 through 12. Programs could take
Advanced Technical diploma the “preferred” place during school hours or as after-
or “expected” diploma for all students, school programs. Depending on the site
placing added emphasis on attaining either and the program, participation could
college readiness or some level of post- include the entire class or selected students.
secondary education. These programs could involve creating
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 12
and performing experiments at college • Build new schools as efficiently and as
facilities, meeting scientists and other cost-effectively as possible. Currently,
professionals, participating in science fairs, when a school division wants to build a
seeing the science in their daily lives, or school, it has to go through the process of
after school jobs or internships with an finding an architect, creating a design, and
academic tie-in at math and science- getting approval. The Department of Education
related companies. should develop pre-approved, “off the
shelf” standard designs for school buildings
– Motivating students to pursue math and so that school districts can save the time
science careers through school-based and money of the design phase in most
outreach and career counseling programs. school construction processes. These designs
would follow the highest green standards.
• Encourage creativity and innovation in
This approach has worked well elsewhere,
the classroom. We need to begin preparing
and it’s time we should do the same
young people for their future working
Virginia. It just makes good business sense.
lives as early as middle school. Studies
show that relating classroom learning to
real-world skills and contexts promotes Recruit, Train, and Retain High-
student interest and comprehension. Our Performing Teachers
goal should be to put every child on a
success track from a young age. To help The most important component in our education
promote this attitude, I will work with the system is the teacher. If we’re going to have
Board of Education to ensure that our the best schools, we simply must have the
teachers are adequately incorporating best teachers.
creativity, innovation, organization, self- Teachers are dedicated professionals who
discipline, and team dynamics measures enter the field because of a genuine interest
into the classroom. In addition to the core in promoting learning and helping young
abilities of literacy, numeracy, history and people succeed. But that doesn’t mean that
applied sciences, students should also teachers shouldn’t be rewarded for their
learn creative thinking and analysis, self- success. That’s why I’m committed to raising
discipline, organizational skills, and teacher salaries — we can’t expect to attract
adaptation to team dynamics. These skills the best by doing otherwise.
have a direct impact upon students’ ability
to become entrepreneurs, executives, and Nor can we expect our teachers to remain in
leaders in whatever profession they choose. our schools or at the peak of the profession
without further investment. It’s not surprising
Idea: “We should create a program that that teacher burn-out rates are high and we
would encourage entrepreneurship, lose a large number of young, promising
initially focusing on the economically teachers in the early years of their careers.
challenged communities in Southside These new teachers need added support to
and Southwest Virginia. We should do stay in the classroom longer, and those who
this through investment in innovative do remain in teaching for lengthy careers
educational practices in areas such as need their skills and knowledge base constantly
teacher and principal quality, technology, updated. We need to help our teachers to be
parental involvement, financial literacy the best they can be by devoting the
and economics.” necessary time and resources to continuous,
modern teacher training and professional
Source: Chad Ratliff, Rocky Mount, “Tell development efforts.
Terry” Submission
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 13
As Governor, I will: – Developing continuous professional
development and peer mentoring targeted
• Support raising teacher salaries to the to teachers in the first six years of teaching
national average. To bring Virginia’s teacher in every school across the state.
compensation in line with other states in the
region, I will work to ensure that we pay our • Work with teachers to find innovative ways
teachers at least the national average. to differentiate compensation. Teachers
should be rewarded for taking on additional
Idea: “Dedicated teachers need to be responsibility, filling specific needs, and
rewarded more equally to their efforts, doing a good job. We should take into
or our children will lose them to other consideration teachers who go to high-
— more ‘lucrative’ — careers.” need parts of the state, serve high-need
populations, and take on in-demand subject
Source: Katherine Cherry, Hampton, “Tell
areas. I will work with teachers to identify
Terry” Submission
the best way to do so.
• Attract young talent to the teaching • Focus on closing the achievement gap
profession. Young and aspiring teachers for disadvantaged students. Poor and
are the key to the future of the profession. minority students in the United States are
We should increase support for the brightest more likely to have an inexperienced
among young teaching professionals by: teacher. While more than three-quarters of
students are being taught by teachers who
– Partnering with colleges of education to majored in the subject they teach, large
offer academically promising freshmen proportions of economically disadvantaged
and other students with excellent grades students are taught by “out-of-field”
the opportunity to receive an increased teachers. Additionally, we have a growing
starting salary as a public school teacher population of English Language Learners
if they sustain extraordinary academic in Virginia, and we need to have the
achievement throughout college. resources to provide them with the
education they deserve. We have made
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 14
The Board should consider best practices
from around the country when developing
the criteria.
• Champion modernized development for
Virginia’s teaching workforce through online
“facilitated” professional development.
Online professional development works by
giving teachers access to certain materials,
such as readings on a new instructional practice,
on their course’s Web site. Participants are
expected to read and digest the materials,
great progress on this count, thanks to complete related assignments, and take part
Governors Warner and Kaine — in the last in threaded discussions within a certain time
five years Hispanic participation in AP frame, typically a week. The format gives
testing has increased by 77 percent. teachers time to go back to their classrooms
African-American participation has increased and schools, attempt a new strategy, and then
by 78 percent. Despite this improvement, reconnect with facilitators and peers to discuss
we can still do more by: what succeeded — and what didn’t.
– Developing a competitive, results-driven
bonus fund that offers loan guarantees Idea: “We need solutions that make sense,
that lower the cost of home or car that are practical, and that have the
purchases to teachers between their potential for real return on effort and
3rd and 6th year of teaching. These dollars to produce substantive change. In
loans will help teachers remain in the particular we need to look at the adoption
communities that need them, at virtually of technology, not just because it’s a
no additional cost to the taxpayers. current interest, but because it can provide
significant increases in student productivity
– Incentivizing teachers to serve in schools and cost savings by addressing systemic
with the largest numbers of children in curricular reform and new approaches to
poverty or serve populations like English assessment. One example of this is the
Language Learners. We must create accelerated adoption of open source
economic incentives for teachers to resources and electronic portfolios in
make long-term commitments, including schools throughout the Commonwealth.”
additional salary stipends and/or
contributions to deferred compensation Source: Glen Hoptman, Vienna
accounts, especially in hard-to-staff
schools.
Ensure a Strong Start
– “Loaning” good teachers in high- We have long known that what happens in the
performing districts to near-by, struggling first few years of a child’s life will affect their
schools. We can encourage this through health and cognitive development throughout
enhanced benefits to these teachers and adulthood. While later social service interventions
credits toward recertification. can be helpful, the value of research-based
• Encourage the Virginia Board of Education preschool experience is much less costly than
to establish basic criteria for professional the later challenges of combating truancy, school
development. The Board will determine the dropout, juvenile delinquency, unemployment
specific criteria in order to set expectations. and/or incarceration.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 15
Idea: “If we are to meet the economic
challenges of the future, we need to act
now, offering no apologies and providing
no excuses. We must ensure that every
child starts kindergarten with the
educational building blocks necessary
to achieve.”
Source: Patrick Riccards, Falls Church
But, more recently, the value of early childhood
education has gained national attention not only as • Support Virginia’s Office of Early Childhood
a sound human investment strategy but also as Development and hold the Director
a good business and economic investment. accountable for continuously improved
Investing in our youngest children’s education and coordination of educational and social policies
development correlates to a more competitive and practices at the local, state and federal
workforce and thriving economy in the future. levels. My Administration also will continue to
promote higher achievement in the areas of
Under Governor Kaine, Virginia has made a “strong additional staff training, developmentally
start”: Our Start Strong Pre-K Council has set forth appropriate child education curriculum and
an affordable, effective, and efficient blueprint for improved school-readiness.
expanding access to high-quality, pre-kindergarten
education to every 4-year-old child in our state. • Encourage school systems to develop
And, our Quality Rating and Improvement System collaborative partnerships with high quality,
(QRIS) provides parents with better information to licensed Head Start and community-based
make informed decisions about the best early child care programs to facilitate universal
childhood education setting for their child. Pre-K access. More opportunities for educating
our young citizens can result from promoting
But there’s more to be done to make sure the wise use of multiple existing federal funding
that Pre-K is available to any parent who streams such as the Child Care Development
wants to enroll their 4-year-old and that every block grant, TANF and Head Start dollars.
child has the opportunity to arrive at school These strategic collaborations may take one of
ready to learn. two forms:
As Governor, I will: – Facility partnerships — community
• Protect the current Pre-K investments agencies contract with local school
in the short term while developing long- districts to provide space for Pre-K
term plans for voluntary, universal access. classrooms while the school provides
Because early childhood care and education the teacher, materials, supplies, and
can be a prudent, responsible, cost-effective any other program components to meet
public investment, with benefits that exceed 4-year-old preschool guidelines.
the initial investment of public funds, Virginia – Program partnerships — community
should not allow our current progress to lose programs provide space for Pre-K and
ground. In addition to the financial return on some 4-year-old preschool programmatic
investment, Pre-K research has evidenced oversight, such as a certified teacher, etc.
significant social dividends including better
school success and higher lifetime earnings
for both the children and their parents.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 16
• Provide a state School Readiness Tax Credit. • Make sure all children arrive at school
I will provide tax breaks to families, child care ready to learn, and leave healthier than
providers and their employees, as well as they came. Children who are healthy are
businesses that support child care and preschool better prepared to learn and achieve
programs. These credits will be tied to facilities academic success. I will:
that attain higher “star ratings” under our existing
Quality Rating and Improvement System for – Work with the Department of Education
early-childhood care and education programs, to address health requirements for public
producing market incentives for higher-quality school food, work towards elimination of
programs similar to leading practices in states trans-fats from school menus, develop
such as Louisiana and Maine. a provision for physical fitness activities
each week, and develop nutritional
• Continue to focus on kids through third guidelines for products to be sold in
grade. By third grade, poor children have schools so that our vending machines
vocabularies of about 4,000 words compared to are no longer filled with junk food. I will
12,000 for middle class kids, and half the math also donate my salary as Governor to
and reading gap for high school seniors can be building a new gym at a school. I hope
attributed to gaps at school entry. We need to this will set an example and encourage
make sure that children receive adequate other CEOs to do the same thing — every
attention in early childhood — and then we need school should have a gym.
to maintain that focus throughout the early
grades of formal education. In order to ensure – Increase the Department of Education’s
that every child receives the individualized efforts to gather and publicize evidence-
attention they need and deserve throughout based, proven best practices to help inform
these crucial formative years, I will work with the school districts of initiatives to reduce
legislature to further reduce class size in grades childhood obesity and improve child health.
K-3. Virginia is already among the states with Local school districts can now access a
the lowest overall class sizes in the nation; we single database to get the latest information
need to channel more of the new teacher growth and ideas available to teach and improve
I’ve proposed into those youngest grade levels, healthy behaviors for our children. This
specifically. effort should be expanded to include more
information on healthy child initiatives to
help districts plan.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 17
a WorKForCe system that attraCts employers
and Keeps people at WorK
Attracting the jobs we want depends on the As Governor, I will:
education and skills of our workforce. Our ability to
create high-quality jobs hinges on the investments • Establish a Middle Skill Jobs Fund to focus
we make in enhancing the knowledge and on the under-appreciated jobs of the future.
productivity of our citizens. We want Virginians to The demand for skills and skilled workers in
successfully compete for high-paying jobs today’s economy actually centers around those
in today’s economy — so we can attract the jobs that require more than a high school degree
industries of the future that we need. and less than a four-year college education:
middle skill jobs. According to the Workforce
Governor Kaine has taken important steps to Alliance, middle skill jobs make up nearly half of
streamline workforce development in Virginia and America’s labor market and 50% of Virginia
focus efforts at the Virginia Community College jobs, and will continue to do so. These jobs
System. We must make sure that all workforce provide care for people who need it, produce
development efforts are driven by workforce the machinery that powers our economy, and
demands and fully integrated with the state’s provide many of the goods and services that
economic development agenda. And we must make American life what it is. Most of these jobs
insist that the state’s workforce development can’t be outsourced – they provide the potential
system gives all workers the opportunity to for long-term career paths. And they provide
continually update and upgrade their skills to keep good wages: Registered Nurses make $56,251
up with the changing needs of the marketplace on average, general maintenance and repair
within their community. workers $33,040, carpenters $34,861, heavy
truck and tractor-trailer drivers $33,933, auto
Idea: “We need to be upgrading the mechanics $35,342 — all in excess of the
education of our incumbent workers. If $31,616 median annual earnings for all
workforce training is not addressed, occupations in Virginia. But despite the fact that
the businesses that do come to Virginia these occupations make up 50% of the job
can’t continue to grow.” demand in Virginia, only about 40% of the
state’s workforce have the training and job
Source: John Parkinson, Martinsville Roundtable skills needed.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 18
We need to invest in jobs that will form the core
of our economy and the workers who will hold
them. The Middle Skill Jobs Fund will direct
resources to training programs, certifications,
and associate degree programs for these in-
demand occupations.
Idea: “I would like to see more dialogue
between industry and education on the
types of tools and skills that industry
thinks are going to be needed in the
workplace presently and in the future. for workers that have been recently laid off –
They should use that dialogue to what is missing is a system for employers
influence schools’ curriculum.” looking to hire. My Jobs Now program is
Source: Frank Smith, Richmond Roundtable designed to fill that need. The program is
modeled after Georgia’s Quick Start program,
which provides customized training for
• Support investments to expand utilization of companies looking to expand or locate within
Career Readiness Certificates. Virginia is Georgia and covers two comprehensive
already a leader in implementing the Career areas — manufacturing and service training.
Readiness Certificate (CRC) initiative. The CRC
serves as a common metric and language to Idea: “At Patrick Henry Community
match employers with particular skill needs with College, many times we get data on
individuals who have those skills. It allows every workforce shortages. It’s important we
citizen to determine his or her career skill level, work with current data, so if there’s a
receive training, and have their skill level certified shortage in a particular area we can
for employment — and it allows every business match up our courses a little better. For
to have occupational profiles that determine the example, rather than just knowing there
skill needs for open positions and then match are jobs needed in the service industry,
those skill needs with job applicants. it would be good to know specifically
where those jobs are needed. If there is
I will establish a Virginia Skills Guarantee that will
a layoff in the area, we should know not
provide every Virginian up to two-years of post-
only the type of training these workers
secondary training or education providing a
need but where those jobs can go. That
pathway to a middle skill job.
data should be at our fingertips.”
• Create a Jobs Now quick-start employment Source: Dr. Nolan Browning, Martinsville
program. Despite high unemployment, many Roundtable
employers have openings but cannot find the
skilled workers they need to fill these jobs. My
• Foster next - generation career and
Jobs Now program, housed within the
technical education (CTE) programs by
Community College System, will develop
supporting the Office of Career and
customized training programs to provide a
Technical Education’s Career Clusters
pipeline of skilled workers for employers that are
Initiative. This initiative ensures that
ready to hire — establishing a proactive rapid
students across Virginia are offered the
response program. Virginia’s rapid response
opportunity to begin training for a high-
system is designed to quickly find job placement
wage “clean tech” career in high school by
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 19
taking a series of progressively more not even been created, and the current LMI
advanced courses in a particular area like process for coding and identifying the skill needs
electronics, computer programming, allied for new occupations have too long of a lag
health or engineering. Career Pathways time. A solution to collecting and identifying
programs blend academic science, the skill requirements for new occupations
t e c h n o l o g y, e n g i n e e r i n g a n d m a t h as they come on-line is to create job
coursework with cutting-edge vocational profilers — especially green job profilers.
training to give students both the This profiling system would be modeled after
knowledge and the know-how to compete the ACT WorkKeys system, which oversees the
in the new economy; students complete Career Readiness Certificate.
the regular high school curriculum, but
they also have the opportunity to take The job profiling program is designed to
specialized college courses in their “career determine the skills needed for newly created
path” or professional discipline. jobs and then develop assessments and
training programs to quickly fill the
• Create job profiles for new occupations – available labor demand. I will provide
with an emphasis on “green” jobs. Every funding to create job profilers and then
state’s labor market information system needs fund profilers for in-demand occupations.
a major upgrade. Labor Market Information This would position Virginia to quickly
(LMI) has largely been designed to gather and identify and design training programs as
report data rather than help drive allocation of new jobs are being created.
resources to in-demand occupations. While
my Administration will look at more fully • Establish Regional Small Business Training
integrating and upgrading the LMI system, Alliances to meet the needs of many
there remains the challenge of how to identify emerging businesses around the state. It is
the growth and skill needs of occupations that difficult for many small businesses to conduct
have not even been created. their own training programs. These alliances of
small employers in industry clusters would be
This is especially true for green jobs. In today’s funded to support industry-specific training for
marketplace, many of the future jobs have jobs in demand in their region. These alliances
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 20
will be independent collaborations — among
firms in an industry and educational or training
institutions — that identify common areas of
skill shortages and develop and deliver the
appropriate training to address those
shortages.
• Improve the job training and education of
career and technical educators. I will require
that all vocational education instructors and
guidance counselors attend an annual
one-day workshop hosted by industry
representatives that will provide workforce
updates, information about technology
advancements, as well as currently available
career opportunities and ensure that this
information is available to education providers
on an on-going basis.
Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia: www.terrymcauliffe.com 21
Thank you for taking the time to read this portion of Terry McAuliffe’s Business Plan for Virginia.
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