Education
Quality education is essential to a skilled and competitive workforce. Access to education, coupled with reliable, quality childcare is key for improving economic opportunities for all Americans.
Our education system is failing many students as shown by data that reveals two-thirds of our fourth and eighth graders are unable to read or do math at their grade level. And the United States ranks below a number of other countries in reading and math proficiency. Recognizing the importance of childcare as a key component of the education system is crucial to addressing the current challenges and ensuring that every child has the support they need to thrive.
- 6th in ReadingGlobal Ranking for U.S. Students
- 10th in ScienceGlobal Ranking for U.S. Students
- 26th in MathGlobal Ranking for U.S. Students
Introducing Commerce Meets Classroom, a new series from our K-12 education Senior Manager, Kyle Butler, featuring the business perspective on pressing education issues.
Stories of Education and Workforce in Action
Across our nation’s talent pipeline, we explore the stories of employers investing in the workforce of today and tomorrow to close the skills gap.
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Programs and Initiatives
Latest Content
New U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation research reveals how lack of childcare solutions can affect working parents’ careers, with women disproportionately impacted
Prior to the pandemic, there were approximately 675,000 childcare providers in this country, predominately small businesses, who were already operating on thin margins. The public health crisis of COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on the childcare industry. In the spring of 2020, many childcare providers closed their programs to follow public health guidance, leading to lost revenue for weeks and months at a time. While many providers have now re-opened as states have begun to open up, they are still operating with limited capacity and increased operational costs. Read more about the unique experiences of the providers who are trying to weather this crisis and care for the young children of working parents.
On October 30, the Center for Education and Workforce hosted our annual conference, Talent Forward centered around how COVID-19 has irrevocably changed our education and workforce systems.
After the wildfires of 2017, the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber partnered with the education community in Sonoma County to make the business case for critical policy changes and investments that would support the development of new centers and open new slots to the thousands of children on childcare wait lists.
COVID-19 has changed the business and talent landscape, and employers must re-think childcare assistance, benefits, and accommodations in these unique times. Many working parents are faced with the choice of leaving the workforce, working less hours, or switching employers. This October, the Foundation surveyed employers again to better understand if and how their concerns and challenges may have evolved as the impact of COVID-19 has endured.
