Employers are increasingly dissatisfied with the quality of the workforce pool - regardless of whether potential employees are high school or college graduates. The problem will be exacerbated by demographic trends that show a decline in workforce growth and, more specifically, college graduates. The state's education systems must ensure that our businesses have the talent to stay competitive in the global marketplace. We must especially do a better job of bringing minorities and lower-income high school graduates into our higher education system.

The business community must candidly express workforce needs to the public entities responsible for teaching the skills to our future workforce. Greater accountability is at the forefront of how we spend money and measure student performance. Overall, we support greater academic and financial transparency systemwide by setting goals, measuring achievements and reporting results.

2010 Legislative Priorities

Minnesota should provide alternative licensure that would provide opportunities for experienced professionals to gain teacher accreditation. Studies show that second to parents, quality teachers are the top predictor of student success.

We continue to advance measures on two fronts: to help reduce the disparity among Minnesota’s advantaged and disadvantaged students, and to ensure that businesses have an adequate supply of skilled workers to compete in the global economy.

2009 Legislative Accomplishments

We successfully lobbied legislation that will enhance the ability of Minnesota to recruit results-oriented charter schools that have proven they can turn low-performing students into high-performing students.

We defeated the “New Minnesota Miracle” that would have increased K-12 funding by one-third, or $2.5 billion annually, with no guarantee of, or accountability for, improved student performance.

We defeated creation of a new state-mandated K-12 property tax which would fall heavily on businesses. This tax would have been in addition to the statewide property tax and school referendum levies.

We defeated a proposal to make for-profit higher education institutions ineligible to receive state grant dollars. This money is aimed at low-income students who otherwise are unlikely to continue their education. These dollars will continue to follow students and not institutions.

Chair: Jan Kruchoski, LarsonAllen
Staff: Cecilia Retelle, (651) 292-4681, cretelle@mnchamber.com

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