Education Policy and the Jobs Initiative: Part Three

Summary

This paper is the third in a series of Jobs Initiative issue briefs. It looks at the results of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Jobs Initiative and its implications for public policy – including reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, finanical aid tailored for working adults with children, employer incentives to support skill-building for low-wage employees, and more. 

Table of Contents

• The Jobs Initiative
• Jobs Initiative Results
• Lessons of the Jobs Initiative for Education Policy
• Workforce Intermediaries Can Facilitate Success
• Policy Implications for the Higher Education Act
• Tailoring Financial Aid
• Making the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit Refundable
• Increasing Employer Incentives

Key Takeaway

Education Policy Reform

While the Higher Education Act of 1965 intended to increase access to education for low-income traditional students, it was biased toward a small part of the population who lack education and training opportunities. The Reauthorization of the Act in 2004 was a way to reach many more working adults, simultaneously lifting them out of poverty and meeting employer demands for skilled workers.