OPPORTUNITIES HARTFORD

Sector Team RecommendationsEducation, Jobs & Income

March 14, 2012

Education: Ensure every Hartford resident will be college and/or career ready. Jobs: Increase employment of Hartford residents by 450 workers each year (above normal trends) to reduce the unemployment gap between Hartford residents and the State by half over four years and completely in eight years. Increase number of Hartford residents earning family sustaining employment.Income: Reduce the gap between median income and the CT Self-Sufficiency Standard for Hartford by half in four years (4% annually) and completely in eight years using a combination of increasing earnings, utilizing public benefits and reducing family expenses.

Over-arching Results

RecommendationAlign existing services to create and disseminate a catalog for Life Long Learning (LLL) and skill development, focusing initially on career pathways to provide high quality early childhood services. LLL includes, but is not limited to, computer skills, English and a Second Language (ESL), General education Development (GED), Child Development Associate (CDA), Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), business/workforce math, writing, small business/entrepreneurial training, and enrichment such as arts and leisure.

City-wide Indicators/ResultsLLL opportunities available for all Hartford residents, leading to a more informed and knowledgeable base of parents and families on education and related services (from building high quality early childhood networks to supporting pre-k to 12 school reform efforts to utilizing and fostering post-secondary learning); thereby improving educational attainment of children and increasing job opportunities and family income.

Supporting Data• 32,952 (38.74%) over 18 requiring GED• 10,974 (12.9%) over 18 requiring ESL• 10,284 (23%) requiring Developmental Education courses• 7,820, (15.6%) unemployed• 6,530 (7%) under-employed

Education: Short-term Opportunity

RecommendationCreate and launch a comprehensive pilot center for LLL and skill development, to include small business incubator pilot on improving the quality of home daycare, leading to licensure. The pilot would highlight one small business area, seek to align and streamline the delivery of programs and services. The vocational training, small business incubator, and overall alignment of other existing services goes beyond other LLL models available currently in Hartford, and the pilot will help inform the long-term recommendation to create a comprehensive center.

City-wide Indicators/ResultsLessons learned from pilot center overall will inform supports needed in comprehensive center (long-term goal), 12 high quality home daycare providers/sites licensed, lessons learned from small business incubator pilot on home daycare licensure will inform development of a comprehensive center and to other training/employment sectors, and lead to better informed parents and community on matters impacting school reform and educational attainment.

Supporting Data• There are approximately a little more than 2,000 Hartford babies born each year• Of these approximately 400 are served each month in Kith & Kin arrangements that receive

Care 4 Kids funds• Approximately 500 can be served in licensed family day care homes located in Hartford. • Approximately 450 are served in centers, remaining are in unregulated family or friend care

Education: Mid-term Opportunity

RecommendationEstablish comprehensive center to provide education and training, as well as social and community support services. Among other services, the center would be the hub for ongoing learning opportunities and incorporating best practices, for all providers of early childhood services. The center would seek to align services and streamline the delivery of programs and services, including literacy, ESL, workforce/vocational training, social services, small business incubator, and other services yet to be identified during the plan. The vocational training, small business incubator, and overall alignment of other existing services goes beyond other LLL models available currently in Hartford.

City-wide Indicators/ResultsAt least 12 high quality licensed home daycare providers from the pilot small business incubator group will have earned their CDA, at least 6 will be enrolled in an Associates Degree program, and at least 2 will have applied for group home status (making them eligible for nutrition and school readiness funding).

Program ModelMagnolia Place Family Center, Los Angeles, CA: http://www.all4kids.org/magnolia.html

Education: Long-term Opportunity

RecommendationBuild on existing resources of Capital Workforce Partners, CT One-Stop system and other initiatives.

FocusPut unemployed residents to work.

IndicatorsEmploy 250+ unemployed Hartford residents through STEP UP program, enhanced Connecticut One-Stop programs, Capital Workforce Partners programs and collaborations, and enhanced job-training programs for the long-term unemployed.

Supporting DataOfficial unemployment: Hartford 15.6%, 7,820; CT: 8.4%, 158,300 people. (Un- and under-employment: For every officially unemployed worker, another 0.84 workers are out of work, according to national samples, or 6,530 people in Hartford.)

Jobs: Short-term Opportunity

RecommendationAdvance sector-based strategies in fields that can move low-wage workers to higher-wage jobs.

FocusMove under-employed workers up economically.

IndicatorsCWP and partners including Workforce Solutions Collaborative of MetroHartford recruit 125+ under-employed Hartford residents for sector-based career tracks that lead to family-sustaining wages. Sectors include healthcare, advanced manufacturing, energy/utilities/green, and emerging industries, plus expansion of construction Jobs Funnel.

Supporting DataCT Self-Sufficiency Standard (2008) for a family of four (two adults, one school-age child, one pre-school age child) in Hartford was $51,847. Hartford median household income was $29,224, meaning that 50% of households made less than this, below the State Self-Sufficiency Standard.

Jobs: Mid-term Opportunity

RecommendationDevelop, enact, and implement local, regional and state job creation policies that create new jobs in the City and region.

FocusCreate new jobs for City residents.

IndicatorsCity and region experience net job growth each year.

Supporting DataCity and region lost 40,000 jobs between 1990 and 2011.

Jobs: Long-term Opportunity

RecommendationIncrease participation in public benefits and work supports

Opportunity• Increase the capacity of VITA sites to a) file additional tax returns from mid-

January through February, and b) to screen tax filers for public benefits.

Selected Indicators• Increase Hartford EITC claims by 5% or 850 tax filers annually• Increase SNAP enrollment by 5% or 700 residents annually

Supporting Data• Median income for 3-person family is 65% of self-sufficiency standard • Estimated 24% or 13,989 eligible residents to not claim SNAP benefits –

loss of $22 million to families and $40 million to local economy• Estimate 3,000 residents do not claim EITC – loss of $6 million to tax filers

and $11 million to local economy

Income: Short-term Opportunity

Income: Mid-term OpportunityRecommendationIncrease the financial capability & stability of Hartford residents.

OpportunityExpand the capacity of free financial education and advice/counseling

programs like the CT Money School, My Budget Coach, Bank On CT and HelloWallet to serve Hartford families.

Selected Indicators• Increase the number of residents completing financial education and/or

securing financial advice by 500 annually.• Increase the number of banked households by 250 annually

Supporting Data• Estimated 5.1% or 2,300 households are unbanked• 74% of families earning under $25,000 w/out 3 mos emergency funds• 57% of families earning under $25,000 could not subsist at poverty level

for 3 months if lost income

Income: Long-term OpportunityRecommendationReduce the high cost of being poor.

Opportunity• Engage local employers in effort to support Hartford residents through

hiring and creating work incentives that encourage residency and reduce work-related costs. Promote good wages and benefits.

Selected Indicators• Number of employers engaged and number and type of incentives• Number of Hartford residents employed by participating employers

Supporting Data• 62% of Hartford renters pay more than 30% of income for housing• Child care costs range from 20-40% of total budget for Hartford families• Auto insurance costs can be 30-50% higher for same vehicle in Hartford vs.

suburbs