Another study seeks economic change in Arkansas (updated)

The Task Force for the 21st Century Economy, a study group formed in the most recent Arkansas General Assembly to determine how best Arkansas might appropriately transform its foundations for future economic growth, recently submitted its final report to Gov. Mike Beebe.
 
The group began its work in January. That work included eight public hearings that involved more than 30 communities, said Dianne Lamberth, task force chairwoman and owner of several businesses in the Batesville area, including Atlas Asphalt. Gary Campbell, a Fort Smith city director, also served on the task force.
 
The group, led by Lamberth, sat down with Beebe on Oct. 31 to review the final report. Prior to October, the group met in late July with Beebe to provide a preliminary report.
 
“My sense was that he felt that it was very, very thorough,” Lamberth said of Beebe’s response during the October meeting. “I think there are several things in it that will help give the governor momentum in pushing his economic development plans.”
 
The top finding of the group was the need to adjust Arkansas’ education systems to better support new jobs arising from new and emerging technologies, Lamberth said.
 
“How do we educate our youth to be prepared for the 21st economy? That economy is here and we’ve got to jump on it,” Lamberth told The City Wire.
 
Entrepreneurship development needs more focus from state and city government officials, according to the task force.
 
“It’s so much easier to grow your own (jobs) than it is to recruit from afar,” Lamberth explained.
 
During the meeting, Beebe and task force members discussed the importance of “pushing regionalism” in terms of economic development. Lamberth said the consensus is that adjacent communities who band together improve their economic development success rates.
 
“You have to forget who you play football against on Friday night when you are working on these things,” Lamberth said.

Matt DeCample, spokesman for Gov. Beebe, said the governor doesn’t have detailed thoughts on the report because it is still being reviewed.

DeCample did say Gov. Beebe has "learned from recent successes of economic development" (landing HP in Conway; large wind power manufacturing companies in Little Rock) and is using those lessons to consider changes in how Arkansas transforms its workforce and economic development.
 
RECOMMENDATIONS
 
In addition to Beebe, the report was made available to key members of the Arkansas House and Senate.
 
The report from the task force lists numerous recommendations for Beebe and the Arkansas General Assembly to consider during the upcoming legislative session. The recommendations include:
“Enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educator talent by providing salary enhancements for Nationally Board Certified math and science teachers an as economic development investment.”
 
“Review and coordinate the existing workforce training programs to support the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s targeted industries with an emphasis on best practices and support of the state’s strategic economic development initiatives.”
 
“Develop an economics and entrepreneurship curriculum appropriate for grades K-16, including classes in personal finance.”
 
“Increase the availability of risk capital for state supported investment in early stage technology start-ups.”
 
The task force also fired a shot across the bow, so to speak, at the conglomeration of economic development programs and incentives offered by the state.
 
“The task force recommends that another task force be created to thoroughly review all the economic development programs of the state of Arkansas to determine which programs contribute to economic development in the 21st century economy, and which programs should be expanded, reduced, or eliminated.”
 
SAME SONG, DIFFERENT VERSE?
 
If all the recommendations and what-we-should-do statements sound familiar, it’s because many of the points and issues raised by the task force have been identified in previous state studies and reports. And that’s not to fault the Task Force. It speaks more to the sometimes slow pace at which change happens in Arkansas.
 
For example, in August 1999 the Non-Baccalaureate Postsecondary Education Task Force was formed by legislative fiat to investigate the relationship between technical colleges, community colleges and universities. Specifically, the task force — formed under a bill sponsored and pushed by then State Rep. Jodie Mahony, D-El Dorado — was asked to determine if the existing system of providing workforce training among the different higher education institutions was efficient. No, it was not efficient, was the general answer, but little came of the task force’s efforts or recommendations.
 
In 2002, the National Governors Association issued a comprehensive report on what states must do to compete in the 21st Century Economy. Key findings of this report included:
 
“Public education is falling short in preparing individuals for the New Economy.”
 
“Many state workforce systems do not reflect market needs.”
 
“Strengthen math and science programs at the middle,secondary, and postsecondary school levels.”
 
WHAT’S NEXT?
 
Lamberth and her task force “expire” in April, according to the legislation that created the group.
 
Beyond that, she didn’t know what would happen to the study group’s recommendations.
 
“They are important. We put a lot of work, a lot of work and time into it,” Lamberth said of the report and its recommendations. “I think there is a lot there to consider, a lot to work with. We didn’t just come up with a list of problems. For each one of those (problems), we offered solutions.”
 
The 87th General Assembly will convene Jan. 12. The City Wire will closely watch pre-session and session bill filings for legislation addressing all or portions of the task force’s recommendations.