ERIC ED344037: Three Strategies...One Future. A "Crosswalk" among Three Proposals Shaping America's Workforce Preparation Policy.

23 Pages·1.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 060 803
ED 344 037
Three Strategies...One Future. A "Crosswalk" among
TITLE
Three Proposals Shaping America's Workforce
Preparation Policy.
Employment and Training Administration (DOL), Boston,
INSTITUTION
MA. Boston Regional Office.
Jan 92
PUB DATE
23p.; For related documents, see ED 323 297, ED 332
NOTE
054, and ED 332 380.
Reports - Research/Technical (143)
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Basic Skills; *Economic Development; Economics;
DESCRIPTORS
Educational Improvement; *Educational Needs;
Educational Trends; Employer Employee Relationship;
*Employment Patterns; Employment Projections;
*Futures (of Society); *Job Skills; Job Training;
*Labor Force Development; Postsecondary Education;
Retraining; Secondary Education; Skill Development;
Work Attitudes
*America 2000; Americas Choice High Skills or Low
IDENTIFIERS
Wages; *What Work Requires of Schools
ABSTRACT
This paper briefly examines three publications that
lay out strategies for U.S. economic competitiveness in the future:
the U.S. Department of Education's report "America 2000: An Education
Strategy," in response to the President's message of April 1991; the
report of the Secretary of Labor's Commission on Achieving Necessary
Skills (SCANS), "What Work Requires of Schools," June 1991; and the
report of the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce,
"America's Choice: High Skills or Low Wages!" June 1990. The paper
aims to: (1) present the fundamental ideas among these three
(2) identify their
cornerstone work force preparation strategies;
common ground as well as the areas where they build upon one another
or part company; and (3) set up a crosswalk as a way of looking at
work force preparation strategies so that other papers and proposals
can be added for comparison and contrast. After a brief introduction,
the paper focuses upon the following employment and training issues:
Who authorized the three strategies? and How does each of the
strategies view its mandates, basic recommendations, standards or
competencies, relationship to the Job Training Partnership Act and
the Employment Service, financing, and the role of business? The
paper then presents, in sequence, summaries of each paper's basic
position on the issues. Some editorial comment about relationships is
included. Sources for further information on the three strategy
papers are listed. (KC)
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THREE STRATEGIES....ONE FUTURE
A "Crosswalk" Among Three Proposals Shaping America's
Workforce Preparation Policy
A Technical Assistance Document
Prepared By The Boston Regional Office
of the U.S. Department of Labor
.
Employment and Training Administration
January 1992
5,
DEPAMEENT Of' EDUCATION
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et Ed.cotronetReepato and Improvement
ED
CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMAT:ON
CENTER (ERICA
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a
a
This "crosswalk" paper was prepared to
help New England employment and training
4.11
programs think about and discuss the issue
As a tool to
of workforce preparation.
stimulate discussion it should not be
viewed as reflecting'official Department
of Labor positions, policies/ or language.
ONE FUTURE
THREE STRATEGIES
A "Crosswalk" Among Three Proposals Shaping America's
Workforce Preparation Policy
BACKGROUND
Eight years ago the National Commission on Excellence in Education
This publication was the
declared America a NAIiRacAlLRilits.
reports
of papers,
and
opening
salvo
barrage
in
steady
a
recommended solutions from varried sources including the American
Society for Training and Development mmErintJwad_thca_NnE-Fen2a9m1
State
and the National Governors' Association (Educating America:
Each was aimed
oa
ate. es
duc
or Ach e at o a
o
at helPing the country achieve a world class, globalW competitive
This paper chooses to look at three particular
workforce.
strategies which we view.as cornerstones at this point in time:
I. The President's ZT_grio_e2SSD_Lt_.3catistr_a_tgV
(April 1991).
2. The Report of the Secretary of Labor's Commission On
Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) entitled What Work
Requires of Schools (June 1991).
3. The Report of the Commission on the Skills of the American
High Skills or Lati
Workforce entitled MgricALe_ghoice:
Waqes1 (June 1990).
PURPOSE
This paper has three purposes:
To lay out the fundamental ideas among
*
these three "cornerstone" workforce preparation
strategies
To identify their common ground as well as the
*
areas where they build upon one another or
part company, and
To set up a crosswalk "way of looking" at workforce
*
preparation strategies so that other papers and
proposals can be added for comparison and contrast.
They speak
This paper is not a substitute for the publications.
for themselves with the detail necessary to explain what their
both ..meriea 20Ca and What WarX
authors had in mind.
While
pequires of Schools (The SCANS Report) are "companion pieces" this
Mr_i_l_sCbs_Lca in
paper will treat them separately along with
order to best illustrate the relationships among the three.
4
FORMAT
After a brief introduction, the paper focuses upon key employment
.and training issues such as STANDARDS or FINANCING. It tben lays
out in sequence, simple summaries of each paper's basic position on
the issue.
Some editorial comment about relationships is included
vhere appropriate.
THREE STRATEGIES....ONE FUTURE
Introductim
stategies are in
All three of the cornerstone workforce preparation
rough AGREEMENT on three fundamental ideas:
its ability
1. America is currently in trouble regarding
Unless the issue of workforce
to compete internationally.
preparation is addressed now, the problem will get worse.
solutions.
2. The best kinds of solutions are local
location where the
The individual American community is the
necessary changes Must occur.
high performance
3. Standards of achievement in a world of
business and institutions (clearly defined competencies)
workforce preparation.
are the key element in successful
opinion (America
The strategies show the greatest DIFFERENCES of
fundamental issues:
2000 and SCANS versus America's Choice) on two
1. A marketplace/volunteer approach to the implementation of
local solutions versus a stronger national hand.
investment in the
2. The nature and duration of financial
effort.
THREE STRATEGIES....ONE FUTURE
Lasues
a
"
Who Authored These Three Cornerstone Strategies?
o
How Do/Did Each of These Strategies View Their Mandate?
Basic Recommendations
o
Standards or Competencies
o
Relationship To the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA)
o
And The Employment Service (ES)
Financing
o
The Role of Business
o
For More Information
o
THREE STRATEGIES...ONE FUTURE
"Crosswalk" Summary
America 2000
Amerias Choice
SCANS
White House and DOE
Government
Non-Government
Authors
Commission
Commission
Mandate
Crusade, not a
Define work place
Define changes
program, to implement
know how for schools
necessary in
goals of President and
parents and business
education, training
governors
and organization of
work
Recommends
6 educational goals; 4
3 part foundation and 5
5 recommendations
tracks. Today's and
specific competencies.
on standards,
Tomorrow's students,
Describes levels of
credentials, high
New generation of
proficiency and
performance work
schools, focus on
scenarios at work.
organizations,
community.
finance and
governance.
Competen-
Standards for 5 core
To be used by national
Certificate of Initial
subjects by national
cies
panel in setting
Mastery required at
panel. Assessed thru
standards and designing
age 16 for entry into
American Achievement
tests for America 2000.
training or
Tests (voluntary) in
education. Set by
grades 4, 8, and 12
independent entity.
Cumulative required
assessments.
Financing
$690M for 535+ New
None.
Tran.sfer of $ for
American Schools.
dropouts from
$150-$200M (private
losing school to
dollars for experiment).
youth center.
All 1-time costs. Done
Guaranteed post HS
by 1996. All other $
$ for students
local.
recouped thru
income tax. 1%
employer payroll tax
for national fund.
Business
Raises $150-$200M.
Reorganize into high
Help define
Provides research and
performance
standards.
development. Uses
companies. Recognize
Reorganize into
standards in hiring.
competencies for hiring.
high performance
Provide people and
Make sure schools
companies. Serve on
resources.
teach them.
local labor market
boards. Pay 1% tax.
America 2000
America's Choice
SCANS_
ES/JTPA
Silent. Could he a Skill
JTPA asked to teach
Pi Cs could be labor
Clinic location.
the competencies.
market boards.
JTPA ES structures
could be built 1:non.
Information
1-800-USA-LEARN
Write National
1-800-788-SKILL
Center on
Education and the
Economy.
THREE STRATEGIES....ONE FUTURE
......
s ..... ommi S ........ .....
Who Authored These Three "Cornerstoneu strategies?
ISSUE:
MP
WO
As most often presented nationally by the President
America 220k01.
'himself or his Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander, America
2000 is a not the product of a special commission, governmental
It is a national stragegy based upon broad
or otherwise.
educational goals agreed upon by the President and the Governors
It is a product of
at a special education summit held in 1990.
There is much
the White House and the Department of Education.
prilvate sector and educational involvement in the implementation
phases. Also, Secretary Alexander's letters introducing America
2000 makes special mention of the way different sectors'
viewpoints are and will be incorporated into its accomplishment.
He notes that David )(earns (former Chairman of Xerox) is the
Deputy Secretary of Education and that Diane Ravitch (education
historian from Columbia University) is the Assistant Secretary
for Educational Research and Improvement.
This is the product of a special commission
The SCANS Report:
It is
created by former Secretary of Labor Elizabeth Dole.
called The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills.
The
It is chaired by former Secretary of Labor William Brock.
report is based on discussions with business owners, educators,
employers (public and private), unions, workers and supervisors
from shops, plants, stores and schools across the country.
Commission members were also representatives of these groups.
John
Names familiar to the New England region include:
Zimmerman of MCI Communications, Bruce Carswell of GTE
Frank
Corporation, Badi Foster of Aetna Life and Casualty,
Doyle of General Electric, Roger Semerad of RJR Nabisco and
Lauren Resnick of the University of Pittsburgh.
This is the product of a non-governmental
entity called the Commission On the Skills Of The American
This 34 member commission was chaired by Ira
Workforce.
The report is
Magaziner, the President of SaS Incorporated.
Some of the
sometimes referred to as "the Magazines° report.
commissioners on this entity also served on SCANS and/or are
closely related to the America 2000 effort and other DOL
EXAMPLES:
William Brock,
workforce preparation activities.
Lauren Resnick and Badi Foster served on SCANS And the Choices
Other names familiar to the New England Region
Commission.
Ray Marshall (former Secretary of Labor), Anthony
include:
Carnevale (American Society for Training and Development),
William Xolberg (President, NAB) and William Spring (VP for
District Community Affairs at the Federal Reserve Bank).