MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Millions of jobs across the U.S. have vanished in the months since the coronavirus pandemic began, and many Tennesseans may have to gain new skills, or refresh the ones they have, to stay afloat.
New research from Lumina Foundation finds more workers in the state are completing industry certifications.
Carol Puryear, president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Murfreesboro, says certifications are typically centered around associations and career clusters.
"You've got CompTIA, who works with the computer industry," she points out. "You've got MSSC that works with the manufacturing folks. You've got NCCER. You've got all types of industries."
Puryear adds that certifications typically take less time and money to earn than degrees, and can improve job prospects.
According to the Lumina Foundation report, about 45% of Tennesseans now hold some form of post-high school credential, compared to the national average of about 51%.
Puryear, who is also vice chancellor for economic and community development at the Tennessee Board of Regents, points out that many tech schools embed industry certifications into their programs.
"For instance, I have an automotive program, I have probably right at 50 students, and all of those students are going to also be working on their Auto Service Excellence, which is ASE certification -- which are critical for them to get a job in the automotive industry when they graduate," she points out.
Puryear stresses there are resources available for anyone who might not have the funds to pursue an industry certification.
"I have a saying that says, 'The pink slip is not the end, it could be the beginning,'" she states. "And I encourage people to visit the American Job Centers across Tennessee, because those people have dollars that can help send people back to school."
Black and Latino workers are among those most likely to have lost reliable income because of COVID-19. The Lumina Foundation report shows these groups also are less likely to have post-secondary education or qualifications.
In Tennessee, around 28% of Black residents and 20% of Latino residents have some form of higher education, compared to nearly 40% of white residents.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
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Educators and public school advocates are pushing back on a measure which would consolidate state-funded services that have been an important part of schools in rural Iowa for generations. Some state lawmakers said the funding could be used more efficiently.
Area Education Agencies have been the go-to place for educators in rural Iowa when they need state services at the local level, in all 99 Iowa counties. House Bill 2612 would consolidate the agencies, outsource some of their services and give the state oversight of them.
Mike Owen, deputy director of the group Common Good Iowa, said the agencies have been critical resources for generations.
"The Area Education Agencies have been a very valuable regional system that helps school districts, large and small, with various services that they can't really do on their own," Owen explained. "From special education to media services, to professional development of teachers."
Gov. Kim Reynolds, who signed the measure, said it will provide a more efficient way to spend the state's education dollars. It is scheduled to take effect July 1.
The battle over public school funding has been playing out on a variety of fronts in Iowa, which enjoys a reputation for some of the best-quality public education in the nation. The state recently enacted a private school voucher program, paid for with state dollars.
Owen sees consolidating the Area Education Agencies and outsourcing some of the services they provide as another step in the wrong direction for Iowa's K-12 classrooms.
"It's total disrespect to locally elected decision-makers for schools," Owen contended. "One more example of how education, unfortunately, is being used to pit people against one another, when it is really a unifying value for Iowans."
There are nine Area Education Agencies in Iowa. The State Department of Education will assume oversight of all of them.
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The solar eclipse has sparked more interest in science and technology, especially among young people.
But the saying, 'You can't be what you don't see,' is a reality for youth of color considering a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math career.
A 2024 Black Girls and STEM Report indicates this demographic aspires to become astronauts, engineers and more -- but a lack of Black representation can dampen their enthusiasm.
Crystal Morton is the founder and director of the Girls STEM Institute, which offers courses for girls ages 7 to 18.
She said the emphasis is on relevant cultural content and careers for girls who might not otherwise have access to these experiences.
"That might be doing a session on the science of Black hair," said Morton, "looking at different products to understand the science behind how that product is made, and what's in that product or how it may be impacting them. So, we make our own products. You can be able to look at a label and say, 'Hey, I should be able to pronounce what I'm putting on my skin, or in my hair.'"
She said the students quickly get the connections.
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics says about one-third of STEM workers are women. But Black workers make up only 18% of the 35 million people employed in STEM fields.
Morton said the Institute's Saturday programs are in partnership with the Indiana University, Indianapolis School of Education. And in the summer, volunteers engage with students about careers in aviation and medicine.
As a former math teacher, Morton said she believes early exposure to this information is key, and said kids begin showing their curiosity as early as third grade.
"Understanding how things happen with technology, that they all need to have different mathematical levels of understanding," said Morton. "They need to have computational thinking skills, because that's the way this world is moving. And I believe that they do have it -- if you just sit back and watch them play, you see the problem solving happen."
A report on Indiana's STEM education priorities shows the number of undergraduate degrees is up since 2015, but the number of STEM-related degrees awarded hasn't moved much.
Hispanic and Black students earn between 3% and 5% of those STEM degrees. They make up 6% and 9% of the state's population, respectively.
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In the past four years, the way New Mexico children are taught to read has undergone a major shift. Following passage of a state law in 2019, the state's elementary teachers have received training in "structured literacy" and the science of reading.
Research shows kids learn to read when they are able to identify letters or combinations of letters and connect those letters to sounds. But teaching that skill is not always intuitive.
Severo Martinez, Literacy and Humanities director, said there are more than 500 elementary schools in the state, and the two-year training occurs while teachers continue working in the classroom.
"Teachers of any discipline, they're teaching literacy skills, still -- even if they're a math teacher, if they're a science teacher, if it's social studies -- if you can't read, you can't do any of the assignments in any of those classes," Martinez explained.
In addition to boosting the number of students achieving reading proficiency, the program aims to reduce the number of students who require special education services.
This school year, the Public Education Department launched a reading challenge -- encouraging students to become "Superhero Readers" and "level up" their reading scores. Martinez even wrote a book for students focusing on the rich cultural diversity and history of New Mexico. He hopes it will all combine to make them proud adults -- eager to make a positive contribution to the world.
"With the Level Up Reading Challenge, we want to motivate students and supporting them in understanding the 'why' it is so important to learn to read and write - because that's going to open up a world of possibilities for them into the future," Martinez continued.
To catch common disabilities that stall reading proficiency, Martinez says New Mexico now requires that first-grade students receive screenings for dyslexia by the 40th day of the school year. Starting this summer, the Public Education Department will also offer tutoring to make sure all students achieve reading competence.
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