PA Commission on Education & Economic Competitiveness
The Pennsylvania Commission on Education & Economic Competitiveness will bring together stakeholders from education, business, labor, and government to create a shared long-term vision to redesign Pennsylvania’s education system. Learn more about us here.
Our current system doesn’t meet the needs of PA’s workforce
The urgency to reshape our education system into one that meets Pennsylvania’s workforce needs is significant.
- Pennsylvania’s population is aging, and our workforce is heavily dependent on economic sectors that are currently in danger of job losses due to automation.
- Pennsylvanians must be ready and able to fill the jobs of the future, not the past.
Pennsylvania’s education system is antiquated and struggling to meet students’ needs.
- Fixing this will require a more resilient, adaptable, and future-ready approach.
- To meet the challenges of an interconnected global economic landscape, Pennsylvania must build a world-class education system to produce a highly skilled workforce.
The Commission will create a long-term plan to align our education system with job demands
The diverse members of the Commission will work together to:
- Create a shared, bipartisan vision for 21st century education that will prepare all students to compete in a globalized economy,
- Establish policies to give all school districts the support and flexibility they need to build world-class education systems,
- Recommend a legislative action plan to achieve these shared goals.
timeline
The Commission will work for 18 months to produce a robust report on its findings & legislative recommendations to redesign Pennsylvania’s education system.
Step 1
All members of the Commission & subcommittee must be appointed. Once organized the Commission will meet quarterly, and the subcommittee will meet monthly.
Step 2
The subcommittee must hold a series of hearings & issue a final report within 12 months of its creation.
Step 3
Upon receipt of the report, the Commission shall seek public comment for at least 3 months on the recommendation within the report. Based on public feedback, the Commission will make final adjustments to the report.
Step 4
The final report with legislative recommendation must be provided to the General Assembly within 18 months of the Commission’s creation.
areas of focus
The Commission will produce a report on its findings & legislative recommendations to address the following areas of focus:
1
Early childhood education & necessary supports.
2
An aligned instructional system spanning early childhood through higher ed.
3
Education environments & infrastructure conducive for each student to learn.
4
Equitable access to education & resources to accommodate students with unique needs.
5
A holistic approach to education that prepares students for life after graduation.
6
Professional work environments for educators, support staff, & school employees.
7
Creation of a leadership development system for K-12 schools.
8
Recruitment & attainment of high-performing educators.
9
Community partnerships in the education system.
10
Meeting PA’s employment needs.
11
Creation of a system that effectively re-tools displaced workers.
12
Addressing the impact of PA’s changing demographics.
13
Effective governance & accountability.