As we look to the future of America’s economy, one question looms large: will we have a workforce capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly changing world?
The answer depends, in large part, on what happens in the South.
Too often, education in the South has been treated as a regional issue, discussed through the lens of local politics, history, or disparities in student achievement. But today, the region’s educational outcomes are poised to have national economic consequences.
The U.S. is already confronting the twin realities of a shrinking workforce and aging population. If we are to meet the country’s growing demand for skilled professionals, especially in technology, public health and science, we must ensure that more students in the South, particularly those who have been historically underserved, have access to high-quality education and training.
Avoid catastrophic outcomes for economy and society
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The need for action is urgent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, among others, has sounded the alarm: We are not producing the skilled workforce of tomorrow. Post-pandemic learning loss, chronic absenteeism and a decline in college enrollment have all contributed to the problem. At the same time, barriers to educational opportunity, many rooted in the legacy of segregation, continue to limit who has access to pathways to in-demand careers.
The Southern Education Foundation will soon be releasing “Economic Vitality and Education in the South, Part II: Projections for a Post-Pandemic South.” This research draws a straight line between educational opportunity and the economic health of our region and nation. It asks a critical question:
With a pressing national need for a well-prepared workforce and mounting evidence of systemic barriers that limit access to educational pathways, what evidence-based policies and practices will give the U.S. the greatest chance of avoiding catastrophic outcomes for our economy and society?
The answer lies in doing what we should have done all along: investing in and expanding opportunity.
That includes addressing the unfinished work of dismantling segregation-era structures still embedded in our school systems. It means closing long-standing access gaps for Black students and students from low-income communities. It means supporting districts still under federal desegregation orders and investing in proven tools like outcomes-based contracting, early learning expansion, and community-centered school improvement.
This is not just a civil rights issue anymore
Today’s economic reality demands that we finally confront what’s long been left undone.
We can no longer afford to let large swaths of our student population, especially in the South, be left without the education and skills needed to thrive. Immigration policy is restricting the flow of workers, artificial intelligence is transforming entire industries, and, meanwhile, too many students are still denied access to advanced coursework, career prep programs, or safe, high-quality schools.
This is no longer just a civil rights issue. It is an economic imperative.
If the United States wants to compete globally, grow its economy and meet the moment, this is how we get there. Not by looking away from the South’s educational inequities, but by recognizing the potential that lies in solving them. The stakes are too high for anything less.
Raymond C. Pierce is president and CEO of the Southern Education Foundation.
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