BizVoice -- March / April 2018

24 BizVoice/Indiana Chamber – March/April 2018 In the Indiana Vision 2025 economic development plan, the Indiana Chamber keeps score every other year through a Report Card. It measures Indiana’s progress compared to the other 49 states. Additional regional evaluation takes place in order to assist partners throughout the state. A diverse task force of business and community leaders constructed Indiana Vision 2025 in 2010-2011 and reviewed progress/made updates in 2016. While there is no one set of measurements to define success in the complex driver of Outstanding Talent, the Indiana Vision 2025 plan has nine goals and 25 metrics. The charts on these two pages outline: • The nine Outstanding Talent goals with a subjective overview of some of the progress that has been made in each area • Those same nine goals, with the 25 metrics used to evaluate them in the 2017 Report Card. The 50-state ranking (1 is best; 50 is worst) for 2017 and the prior Report Card in 2015 are presented Remember: Policy sets the stage, plans and evaluations help keep initiatives on track and, as demonstrated throughout this issue of BizVoice , both can help lead to making a difference in the lives of individuals, their families and communities, and our state. “Indiana will be a global leader in innovation and economic opportunity where enterprises and citizens prosper.” Indiana Vision 2025: Advancing the Vision DRIVER 1: OUTSTANDING TALENT GOAL SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS Increase the proficiency of Indiana students in math, science and reading to “Top 5” status nationally. Continued strong improvements in NAEP reading and math rankings Increase to 90% the proportion of Indiana students who graduate from high school ready for college and/or career training. Keeping assessments aligned to new standards; Chamber Foundation partners in Postsecondary Pathways events and serves as school counseling initiative resource to connect education and business; graduation pathways included in new ILEARN assessment Eliminate the educational achievement gaps at all levels, from pre-school through college, for disadvantaged populations. Significantly expanded funding (2017) for high-quality preschool program for low-income children; establishment of more balanced school funding formula Increase to 60% the proportion of Indiana residents with high quality postsecondary credentials. Primary entities aligned on goal Increase the proportion of Indiana residents with bachelor’s degrees or higher to “Top 10” status nationally. Increase the proportion of Indiana residents with associate’s degrees to “Top 10” status nationally. Increase the proportion of Indiana residents with postsecondary credentials in STEM-related fields to “Top 5” status nationally. Large number of public and private sector initiatives in place; focus will hopefully yield future results Develop, implement and fully fund a comprehensive plan for addressing the skills shortages of adult and incumbent workers who lack minimum basic skills. 2017 legislation provides workforce ready grants and better coordination of career and technical education efforts Improve Indiana’s per-capita income ranking to “Top 25” nationally Cost of living adjustment lifts Indiana from 38th to 20th in rankings DRIVER 2: ATTRACTIVE BUSINESS CLIMATE GOAL SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS Adopt a right-to-work statute. Passed February 2012 OUTSTANDING TALENT RESOURCE: Indiana Vision 2025 at www.indianachamber.com/2025 KEEPING SCORE PART OF THE PROCESS On Page 2, Indiana Chamber President and BizVoice ® Publisher Kevin Brinegar shares the perspective that public policy, while vitally important, is only the beginning step to eventual achievement and success. In much the same vein, numbers – in the form of measurement – are another interim stage in the process. Yet, one must keep score to evaluate progress toward the ultimate goals.

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