Why criminal justice reform is a part of our path to prosperity
If you’ve been following this blog, you know we recently released the second in-depth topic paper outlining the proposed policy changes that we believe can help put Michigan back on a path to prosperity. To us, a prosperous state is one in which almost every adult is working, and where that work pays a good […]
Increasing wages and supports for Michigan workers
Our latest report provides a set of ideas for how we improve living standards for Michiganders not participating in the high-wage knowledge economy. Last week I wrote about our ideas for providing far more support to jobless individuals, to help them overcome barriers and get on a path towards family-supporting work. Today’s post details our […]
A safety net that promotes opportunity
Our latest report, Sharing prosperity with those not participating in the high-wage knowledge-based economy, is based on two major understandings. The first is that even in a growing economy, a large portion of the population can still be struggling. Indeed, this has been the story of our economy since the 1980s, as the economy has […]
Our shared prosperity state policy recommendations
As we explored in my last post Michigan structurally has too many low-paid jobs. About half of Michigan jobs pay less than $15 an hour. Add to that lots of part-time jobs and more and more contingent jobs. That leads to the Michigan Association of United Way’s ALICE report results that 40 percent of Michigan households […]
Too much low-paid work
A recent Washington Post article was entitled Half the jobs in America pay less than $18 an hour. Can Trump help? The consequence of way too many lower paid jobs––as well as too many working in part-time jobs––is you get lots of working American households who cannot afford to pay the bills, save for their retirement and […]
Boosting graduation rates: A moral imperative for Michigan universities
At my freshman year college orientation 30 years ago this month, a high-ranking university official asked students to look to their left and to their right and told them that one the fellow freshmen they looked at would likely not finish college. The warning from the university official was meant to inspire students to understand […]
Liberal arts lead to good-paying careers
George Anders new book, You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a “Useless” Liberal Arts Education, is worth reading. The book tells the story of how liberal arts majors––no matter what the conventional wisdom––are putting together successful forty-year careers. Anders mainly explores the path of well-paid, highly-successful liberal arts majors most working for technology-based […]
What actually predicts college success?
There’s quite a bit that determines whether or not a student is successful in college. They need to have good study habits, be able to write well, be able to manage their own time, be a self-advocate. Academics have created the Four Keys to College and Career Readiness, the 8 noncognitive variables needed for college […]
Not all kids are being pushed to get a four-year degree
Conventional wisdom is that one of the main culprits in the so-called skill shortage is that all Michigan kids are being pushed to get a four-year degree. I am quite skeptical that that is accurate. (See this New York Times article about college counseling at a Topeka, Kansas high school for what is a far […]