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The number of jobs in computer science (CS) and information technology (IT) is projected to grow rapidly in the United States over the next decade as the demand for workers expands and current CS and IT workers retire. Against the larger backdrop of growth in CS and IT employment and wages nationally, Ohio is looking for ways to grow and diversify its CS and IT workforces. To help support this effort, a RAND research team examined the current state of Ohio's CS and IT workforces and identified ways in which the state might strengthen and diversify these workforces. The team drew on quantitative data from a national survey of households in Ohio and elsewhere in the United States, as well as Ohio administrative records, complemented by qualitative data from focus groups with Ohio students. This brief presents key findings from the research report detailing that study, "Growing the Computer Science and Information Technology Workforces in Ohio. Research Report. RR-A3449-1."

Many states, including Ohio, intend to strengthen and grow their computer science (CS) and information technology (IT) workforces. Jobs in CS and IT are projected to grow in coming years, but it is not always clear how states can expand and diversify their CS and IT workforces. In this report, the authors leverage representative national and state survey data, detailed state administrative data, and focus group data to evaluate how Ohio residents obtain postsecondary CS and IT education, their wages on completion of this education, and factors that facilitate or impede their education and employment in CS and IT. In doing so, the authors aim to help pinpoint ways that Ohio might grow its CS and IT workforces. They also offer suggestions on how state leaders across the United States can grow and diversify these workforces.

This brief describes work done by RAND Education and Labor and the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan--Ann Arbor and documented in "Stackable Credential Pipelines and Equity for Low-Income Individuals: Evidence from Colorado and Ohio. Research Report. RR-A2484-1" [ED627835]. The brief discusses what states and institutions can do to: (1) support stackable credential development across fields and institutions; (2) improve the information students have on stackable credential programs; and (3) improve noncredit-to-credit stacking.

Federal, state, and local initiatives have encouraged education and training providers to build stackable credentials, a series of postsecondary credentials that can be earned over time and that build on each other to prepare individuals for different needs for knowledge and skills throughout a career. By offering flexible pathways that allow individuals to earn credentials incrementally and work as they earn credentials, stackable credentials can advance economic and educational opportunity for low-income individuals and other groups that have not been well served in traditional degree programs. However, there is limited evidence on whether low-income individuals are benefiting from stacking credentials and whether low-income individuals face systemic barriers to equity within stackable credential pipelines. In this report, the authors take a mixed methods approach to examining stackable credential equity in Colorado and Ohio, two states pursuing stackable credential initiatives. The authors analyzed administrative data to describe patterns in credential-stacking and in earnings for low-income individuals relative to middle- and high-income individuals. They identify four potential systemic barriers to equity within stackable credential pipelines and interview key stakeholders to learn more about factors contributing to these barriers and discuss options to ensure equitable opportunities to stack credentials across fields of study and institutions.

A growing number of postsecondary institutions and systems have begun offering or scaling stackable credential programs. These structured education and training pathways--in fields such as health care, information technology, and manufacturing and engineering technology--provide individuals with opportunities to earn certificates, postsecondary credentials that require less time to complete than an associate's degree, typically between several weeks and a year of coursework and training to complete. These initial certificates provide individuals with immediate job possibilities. Stackable credential programs may be especially helpful for individuals from historically underserved communities. These programs offer greater flexibility to simultaneously navigate education, employment, family, and other responsibilities. Using administrative data from Colorado and Ohio, this study examined differences in credential stacking and labor market returns from stacking for low-income individuals versus middle- and high income individuals (combined). This report describes this study's approach, its key findings, and the implications of those findings. This report also describes work done by RAND Education and Labor and the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan--Ann Arbor and documented in "Stackable Credential Pipelines and Equity for Low-Income Individuals: Evidence from Colorado and Ohio. Research Report. RR-A2484-1" (ED627835).

The U.S. manufacturing industry is experiencing a resurgence and faces a growing need for highly skilled workers. Recent reports project that demand for highly-skilled manufacturing workers will outpace supply in coming years, and this shortage may grow as the U.S. manufacturing industry grows and its labor needs shift. Furthermore, manufacturing has traditionally employed a largely white and male workforce, and there is growing interest in bringing a more diverse set of workers into manufacturing. To identify promising strategies to expand the supply of highly skilled manufacturing workers and meet employers' growing skill demands, a group of RAND researchers examined the pipeline between Ohio's postsecondary education system and manufacturing employment in Ohio. The researchers also explored the extent to which workers with manufacturing-related skills or credentials forgo work in the industry. This research brief summarizes the education and employment patterns revealed by the research.

Manufacturing employers often cite challenges to finding and hiring a sufficient number of highly skilled and diverse workers, so it is important to understand how pathways into manufacturing and the retention of manufacturing workers may be improved. The authors of this report address this research gap by examining the pipeline between Ohio's postsecondary education system and the manufacturing workforce. They focus on understanding potential ways to expand the supply of workers and the diversity of the manufacturing workforce. Although Ohio represents a subset of the U.S. manufacturing industry, it has a significant share of manufacturing employment and production. Therefore, it can be instructive for more broadly understanding the challenges and opportunities that workers, employers, and educational institutions in manufacturing face.

"Stackable credential programs" are designed to make it easier for students to earn multiple postsecondary certificates or degrees in a field as they advance in their careers. To examine the stacking of credentials in Ohio and inform ongoing efforts to scale stackable credential programs, the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the RAND Corporation formed a research partnership. In May 2020, RAND released "Stacking Educational Credentials in Ohio: Pathways Through Postsecondary Education in Health Care, Manufacturing and Engineering Technology," and Information Technology, a report that documented how students were moving through stackable credential pipelines in Ohio postsecondary institutions between 2005 and 2015. This toolkit is intended to be a companion document to that report, providing a how-to guide for practitioners who are overseeing stackable credential programs to identify issues in their stackable credential pipelines and make data-driven improvements. Using three stackable credential pipeline issues identified in the 2020 report--i.e., improving rates of stacking for Black students and adult learners, increasing stacking opportunities among students who earn a certificate at an Ohio Technical Center, and reducing excess credit hours--the toolkit illustrates how practitioners can use a four-step process to (1) take high-level statewide findings and collect additional evidence to explore these issues in their context, (2) narrow in on specific levers for change, (3) identify improvements and a framework for assessing them, and (4) carry out rapid cycles of improvement. [For "Stacking Educational Credentials in Ohio: Pathways through Postsecondary Education in Health Care, Manufacturing and Engineering Technology, and Information Technology," see ED613709.]

Stackable credential programs--that is, programs that facilitate students' ability to earn multiple postsecondary certificates or degrees--have been a priority for Ohio, which has a long history of legislation, state and regional initiatives, and institution-led efforts to build more-effective pathways to address the needs of employers and students. To assess progress and inform ongoing efforts to scale stackable credentials, the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the RAND Corporation established a research partnership. In this report, RAND researchers examine students who earned postsecondary certificates in health care, manufacturing and engineering technology (MET), or information technology (IT) fields at Ohio institutions between the 2004-2005 and 2012-2013 academic years and went on to earn (or stack) additional educational credentials. The authors descriptively examine the completion of credentials over time, the types of students who are earning certificates and going on to stack credentials, the subfields and levels of credentials earned, the types of institutions students earned credentials from, and the credit accumulation and terms of enrollment for students earning different types of credentials. The findings indicate increased numbers of students earning certificates and stacking credentials in Ohio. Certificate-earners were diverse, but rates of stacking were lower for Black students and adult learners (i.e., ages 25 and older). Most of the students who stacked credentials had earned a degree within four years, and most stacked within the same field.

Community colleges play a key role in driving talent development in the United States, producing workers with the kinds of training that employers need while enhancing economic mobility for students. There has been a push among policymakers at the federal and state levels to hold community colleges accountable for the employment outcomes of their students, with funding and legislation that endorses models that strengthen college partnerships with employers. In this report, the authors systemically examine the type of career services and college-employer partnership practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields across three states -- California, Ohio, and Texas -- and a sample of community colleges that operate within them. In addition, the authors investigate the challenges that these colleges face in facilitating student employment and the ways in which state policies may have influenced practice. They reviewed state policies and collected interview data from 134 participants, including state and system leaders, college leaders, program heads and faculty, career service leaders and staff, and employers.

Community colleges play a key role in driving talent development in the United States, producing workers with the kinds of training that employers need while enhancing economic mobility for students. There has been a push among policymakers at the federal and state levels to hold community colleges accountable for the employment outcomes of their students, with funding and legislation that endorses models that strengthen college partnerships with employers. In this report, the authors systemically examine the type of career services and college-employer partnership practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields across three states -- California, Ohio, and Texas -- and a sample of community colleges that operate within them. In addition, the authors investigate the challenges that these colleges face in facilitating student employment and the ways in which state policies may have influenced practice. They reviewed state policies and collected interview data from 134 participants, including state and system leaders, college leaders, program heads and faculty, career service leaders and staff, and employers.

Instead of enrolling for four or more years to get a bachelor's degree, what if individuals could work their way toward a degree gradually? First, they would attend college or a trade school for six months or a year and earn a certificate that prepares them for an entry-level job in various fields. Then, they would pursue additional knowledge and skills at the time they need them to advance their careers, reenrolling in college to continue progress toward a second certificate or degree. This might allow these individuals to invest their time and tuition dollars more strategically, and they might come away with training that better fits their needs. This approach to education and training is often referred to as "stackable credentials." Stackable credentials are most common in fields that offer many "middle skill" jobs--those that require some postsecondary education and training below the bachelor's degree level--such as health care and information technology. Ohio has been a leader in scaling stackable credential programs. It established statewide agreements that require credits to be awarded for certain blocks of coursework that previously were not eligible for credit, and it increased the funding allocated to certificate programs. Have institutions changed the programs that they offer? Are students stacking credentials, and, when they do, are they seeing an increase in earnings? Researchers at the RAND Corporation and the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) established a multiyear partnership to answer these questions and others. To find the answers, the team examined the state's stackable credential offerings and student outcomes in three fields: health care, manufacturing and engineering technology (MET), and information technology (IT). This brief describes work in the reports "Stacking Educational Credentials in Ohio: Pathways Through Postsecondary Education in Health Care, Manufacturing and Engineering Technology, and Information Technology" (ED613709); "Making Improvements to Stackable Credential Pipelines: A Toolkit on Using Data to Drive Improvement in Ohio Postsecondary Institutions" (ED613757); and "Stackable Credential Pipelines in Ohio: Evidence on Programs and Earnings Outcomes" (ED613593).

Stackable credential initiatives aim to build education and training pipelines in applied fields that allow individuals to earn educational certificates or other industry-recognized credentials and then build on these short-term credentials to earn additional certificates and degrees throughout their careers. Stackable credentials have the potential to provide more flexible education and training options for individuals and align better with employer needs. Stackable credentials are a priority for Ohio and a national trend in postsecondary institutions, yet little research has been conducted on whether institutions are scaling stackable programs, how students are stacking credentials, and whether these programs benefit individuals and employers. In this report, the authors examine Ohio's stackable credential pipelines in three fields--health care, manufacturing and engineering technology, and information technology--during the period between 2005 and 2019. They explore two areas: (1) growth in short-term education programs offered by Ohio public institutions and the degree to which programs incorporated features that characterize stackable credentials; and (2) earnings outcomes for certificate-earning students who went on to stack postsecondary education credentials. [For the technical appendix to this report, see ED613594.]

This appendix supplements the report "Stackable Credential Pipelines in Ohio: Evidence on Programs and Earnings Outcomes" (ED613593). In the appendix, the authors provide more details about the data and empirical approach, additional information about the samples, and some alternative results from analyses related to those that appear in the main report. The following are presented: (1) Data Sources; (2) Details on the Program Analysis; and (3) Details on the Earnings Analysis.

Much research has noted the misalignment between kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) academic standards and curriculum materials used in classrooms. Many states and education organizations have been pushing for greater use of standards-aligned curriculum, especially during the past several years. In this report, the authors share results regarding K-12 public teachers' use of standards-aligned curriculum materials for their mathematics and English language arts instruction from school year 2018-2019 to 2020-2021. They specifically investigate how teachers nationwide compare with teachers in 13 states participating in the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development (IMPD) Network. The IMPD Network includes states that are focused on improving use of standards-aligned, high-quality instructional materials, including Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. The authors also examine whether curriculum materials that teachers used were available to students at their school in digital form for the 2020-2021 school year.

The authors of this report aim to understand the health of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and labor market in the Appalachia region -- defined as the intersection of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia -- with a focus on the mining and extraction industry. This report is the third in a three-part series. The first two reports provided initial examinations of STEM education and the labor market in the Appalachia Partnership Initiative (API) region. In this report, the authors address the same questions as the first two reports but devote more attention to examining whether and how any of the indicators have changed over time. The authors also tighten the analysis specifically to the API region and introduces a few new measures, such as participation in career and technical education (CTE). Key Findings: (1) Middle school students in the API states have outperformed students nationwide in mathematics, and trends are improving over time; (2) CTE in the API region has room for growth; (3) High school graduation rates are high and improving; (4) Although postsecondary enrollment decreased in the API region over time, the percentage of students graduating in STEM has been increasing and outstripping the national average; (5) The working-age population declined within the API region; (6) Median earnings were higher in suburban areas of the API region and lowest in parts of the urban centers, but there was no clear geographic pattern of growth in median earnings; (7) Earnings were high and growing in the mining and utilities industry in the API region; (8) The mining and extraction industry was particularly successful at compensating workers who held a high school degrees or had less education; and (9) New hires from outside the extraction industry in API states primarily came from within the region but from other industries and enjoyed large earnings increases. [The research was conducted with the RAND Social and Economic Well-Being Division. For "Wages, Employment, and STEM Education in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Report No. 1 (2016). Research Report. RR-1357-CHC," see ED605413. For "Wages, Employment, and STEM Education in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Report No. 2 (2017). Research Report. RR-1863-CHC," see ED605433.]

"Middle-skills" jobs require more education and training than that provided by a high school diploma but less education and training than a four-year college degree. Employers struggle to find workers with the needed combination of knowledge and skills to fill middle-skills jobs; this search for workers is particularly pertinent to the tri-state region of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, where the boom from new oil and natural gas technologies related to extraction has propelled the region economically. In this report, researchers surveyed instructional staff at five colleges with training partnerships with oil and gas industry companies in the tri-state region to examine whether these colleges' science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs emphasize the skills and knowledge areas that employers need. In addition, researchers examined which knowledge areas and skills might need more support by asking instructional staff about areas in which students had difficulty and if more resources (and if so, which ones) were needed. [To view the brief, "How Educators and Employers Can Align Efforts to Fill Middle-Skills STEM Jobs," see ED594813.]