State Policies Regarding Community Colleges and Workforce Development

State Policies Regarding Community Colleges and Workforce Development

EdInfo No. 2003-08
November 2003
ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges

In the fall of 2001, the Education Commission of the States’ Center for Community College Policy surveyed higher education officials in all fifty states about the policies states have established to guide and support workforce development programs at community colleges. Forty-five of the fifty states responded. Highlighted here are findings regarding the funding of community college workforce development programs as well as current policy issues in workforce development.

Funding of Community College Workforce Development Programs:

Twenty-one of the responding states provide special funding to community colleges to train workers for high-demand occupations.

Twenty of the responding states fund non-credit occupational training at community colleges.

Thirty-two of the states provide state funding to support customized training for employers; at least eight states require matching support from the employers served.

Seventeen of the states provide special funds to help community colleges purchase, maintain, or replace computers and other equipment for workforce training.

Current Policy Issues:

Implementation of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and coordination of workforce funding are prevalent policy issues in over half of the responding states.

The appropriate role for states in customized training for industry is the source of policy debate and action in numerous states. Many legislators struggle to determine the appropriate balance in the public versus private benefits of state support for customized training for business and industry utilizing public funds.

This information was reported in ED471147, "State Policies on Community College Workforce Development" by Davis Jenkins and Katherine Boswell. A full-text copy of this document may be obtained by contacting ERIC Document Reproduction Services (EDRS), 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, VA 22153-2852; or by calling (800) 443-ERIC. This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under contract number ED-99-CO-0010. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. ERIC EdInfos are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced.

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