Education and workforce are the keys to creating and maintaining a flourishing business and economy. At AIM we support funding and policies that provide a variety of options for employees to gain new skills, learn about new sectors, and progress in their careers, whether that’s through traditional education routes, vocational and technical schools, or skills-based hiring. AIM leads education and workforce efforts with a lens of equity and works to ensure the Commonwealth supports policies and programming that aim to close the racial, ethnic, and gender disparities that still exist in our education system today.
Policy Priorities
Early Literacy:
Governor Healey signed legislation addressing early literacy challenges facing young children in the Commonwealth. The law codifies regular literacy and dyslexia screening requirements, requires public school districts to adopt K-3 reading materials grounded in science-based reading research, and provides funding to help teachers and districts implement the new materials.
Graduation Competency Determination Recommendations:
The Healey-Driscoll Administration convened a K-12 Graduation Competency Determination Council to develop a replacement for the MCAS test. While AIM did not sit on the council, it worked actively with business community partners and advocated directly with state officials throughout the process.
The Council’s final recommendations include:
- End-of-course assessments in core subjects (English, math, and science) that count meaningfully toward a student’s academic record
- Standardized foundational coursework through the MassCore program
- Completion of a capstone project or portfolio
- Completion of a My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP)
- A proposed AI and digital literacy learning module
AIM continues to support end-of-course assessments and believes students should be required to pass them to earn a high school diploma, ensuring a baseline understanding of foundational subjects. Legislation on this topic is expected to be filed in the new session.
Early Education and Care
AIM supports investments and expansion of early education and care that ensure equitable access and affordability to childcare so that all parents have the option of returning to the workforce knowing that their child is safe and supported.
K-12 Education
AIM addresses K-12 education reform issues in partnership with the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE). For more than two decades, MBAE has been the voice of business on education policy, highlighting the important role of K-12 education in preparing students to become tomorrow’s workforce. AIM’s focus continues to be increased funding for high school career pathways and industry-recognized credentials to prepare students for college and career success, and targeted funding to increase students’ educational opportunities across the Commonwealth while eliminating demonstrated achievement gaps.
Additionally, AIM works closely with MBAE and other stakeholders to create a statewide, standardized curriculum or alternative graduation requirement in response to the removal of the MCAS as a graduation requirement in Massachusetts.
Higher Education
Support our higher education members and partners, including community colleges, by investing in partnerships, scholarships, and workforce development initiatives that train workers who will help fill our workforce skills gap.
Vocational and Technical Schools
AIM supports initiatives to expand access to early college programs, vocational and technical education programs including supporting legislation to create a “Workforce Skills Cabinet” within the Administration.
Skills-Based Hiring
AIM addresses Skills-Based hiring reforms by participating in the MassSkills Coalition led by our partners at the Massachusetts Business Roundtable. Support policies that focus on the “whole applicant” and review all relevant skills and knowledge regardless of educational attainment which is a key strategy to filling employment gaps in the workforce.