COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

DATE:

May 12, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

May 20, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Supervisor Jerry Hill

SUBJECT:

Creating and Preparing A Competitive Global Workforce

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Accept the report on Creating and Preparing a Competitive Global Workforce

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Provide equal access to educational opportunity; Leaders work together across boundaries to preserve and enhance our quality of life.

Goal(s): Residents have many educational and training opportunities beyond high school; Leaders throughout the County provide the impetus for broader regional solutions in land use, housing, childcare, education, health and transportation.

 

BACKGROUND:

San Mateo County’s economic vitality and progress are dependent upon the skills and abilities of our workforce. Competitive and vibrant talent must be available to meet the needs of 21st century business and industry. In order to ensure that we reach this goal, measures need to be put in place that will enable our children not only compete, but also lead the way in the new global economy. Thoughtful workforce planning today will prepare tomorrow’s generation to succeed in an economy without borders.

 

Consistent with the Board’s direction on Shared Vision 2010 to conduct a series of community conversations, on March 3, 2008, the community forum, “Creating and Preparing a Competitive Global Workforce, “ was presented by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and co-sponsored with the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce, San Mateo Chamber of Commerce, City of South San Francisco, San Mateo County Community College District, San Mateo County Office of Education, San Mateo County Economic Development Association, San Mateo County School Boards Association, Belmont-Redwood Shores School Board and San Mateo-Foster City School Board. The purpose of the forum was to (1) ask and answer the following two important questions: Will San Mateo County continues to attract and retain leading edge industries? Will our children be prepared to compete in the 21st century global market place? And (2) engage the community to develop strategies that improve the educational and employment outcomes of children in San Mateo County.

 

DISCUSSION:

“Creating and Preparing a Competitive Global Workforce,” featured Sean Randolph of the Bay Area Economic Forum, Paul Saffo of the Institute for the Future and a lively panel discussion on strategies to improve the educational outcomes of our youth. In addition to the provocative and insightful speakers, the forum culminated in small group discussions at which the participants conferred about strategies to be pursued as a community, so that we could improve the educational and employment outcomes of children in San Mateo County. Some 240 strategies were developed.

 

OUTCOMES:

The collaborative forum provided a unique opportunity for business, education, political and community leaders to come together and discuss and explore innovative ways to partner with each other. The forum underscored the need to work together as a community to bring 21st century skills to every child in San Mateo County.

 

The following are the primary goals voiced by forum attendees:

    ü Ensure all children in San Mateo County, across all economic conditions and ethnic backgrounds, have access to a high quality education, including early learning, with intervention and prevention programs;

    ü Children are supported by an adult throughout their childhood;

    ü Every child is able to find and pursue his or her potential;

    ü Integrate and implement 21st century learning skills in K-12 curriculum;

    ü Children learn 21st century global citizenship;

    ü Increase funding and curriculum enhancements for education; and

    ü Collaborate and partner with industry, business, non-profits and government to ensure holistic, community-based education.

 

The Global Workforce Steering Committee met and endorsed the above goals and set the immediate next steps to include:

    ü Establish a “P-16” (preschool through college) initiative to create the 21st century workforce in San Mateo County by aligning policy, programs and practice to increase student success and meet workforce needs. P-16 integrates the three largely disconnected public education systems - preschool, K-12 and postsecondary – to ensure greater coherence. According to the Education Commission of the States, some of the improved outcomes resulting from P-16 efforts include: expanded access to early learning, smoother transition from one level of learning to the next, closing achievement gaps, upgrading teacher education and professional development and strengthening relationships between families and schools.

 

    Other next steps include:

    ü Develop data to benchmark global educational outcomes for San Mateo County children internationally; and

    ü Conduct periodic educational and learning opportunities to promote 21st century learning skills.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The cost of the event was nominal: the venue, breakfast and lunch costs were under written by the Oracle Education Foundation at no cost to the County. Electronic voting was donated. The invitation to the event was all-electronic, avoiding printing and mailing costs.