In a tough economy, education is critical in cradle to career pipeline | Opinion

Across Kansas, businesses are struggling to find skilled workers, families are juggling the demands of child care and jobs, and educators are stretched thin trying to prepare the next generation for a changing economy.

These challenges are often discussed separately, but they are pieces of the same puzzle.

Education is workforce policy.

This summer, I traveled across Kansas on a Cradle to Career Listening Tour to hear directly from parents, teachers, employers, and community leaders about what is working and what is not.

Over the course of the tour, insights were gained from more than 100 Kansans who shared a common message: The path to a stronger workforce starts with ensuring our education system meets the needs of today’s economy.

What became clear is that the issues Kansans face are common and deeply connected. Childcare, K–12 education, higher education and the workforce do not exist in isolation.

When families cannot find affordable and reliable child care, parents struggle to stay in the workforce.

When schools cannot keep great teachers, students lose the foundation they need for success.

When college costs rise and career paths are unclear, too many young Kansans leave the state in search of opportunity elsewhere.

Each challenge affects the others, and the ripple effects touch every home and every community.

The roundtable discussions showed the strength of Kansas communities, where people come together with clear purpose and a willingness to solve challenges.

Participants came from different professions and perspectives, but the conversations were rooted in shared goals of keeping families strong, schools effective, and the economy growing.

Not everyone agreed on every detail, but the willingness to talk, listen, and seek common ground stood out.

In an era of political division, that spirit of collaboration is something Kansas should be proud to model.

Across every region, Kansans voiced the same priorities.

They called for stronger teacher pipelines, apprenticeships that allow students to earn while they learn, and modernized funding models that reflect today’s realities.

They emphasized the need to make education more responsive to the needs of employers while ensuring students graduate ready to contribute to their communities.

These are not partisan ideas; they are commonsense solutions grounded in the belief that opportunity should be accessible to every Kansas family.

If Kansas wants to grow its economy, it must treat education as economic infrastructure, every bit as essential as roads, broadband or energy.

A strong education system attracts families, strengthens local businesses and keeps young talent in our state. The same policies that help a parent find childcare or help a teacher stay in the classroom are the ones that keep our workforce strong.

This goes beyond policy and speaks to the future competitiveness of Kansas.

Our state is in direct competition with others for workers, families, and investment. States that align their education and workforce systems are winning that race, and Kansas should be among them.

As Kansans, we all have a role to play in turning these conversations into action.

The input we heard from parents, educators and employers should inform legislative priorities in 2026.

Lawmakers have an opportunity to bridge the gap between education and the economy by focusing on policies that strengthen every stage of the cradle to career pipeline.

Education is workforce policy, and Kansas’ future depends on recognizing that connection.

If we invest in our people from early childhood to career, we are investing in the prosperity, stability and strength of our entire state.

— Claudia Fury-Aguirre is the manager of policy and outreach for Aligned, a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of business leaders committed to improving education at the state level in Kansas and Missouri.