Part of Western Governors University
WGU Advocate WGU policy priorities.
Policy briefs.
Policy briefs are short, research-based summaries with recommendations on a public policy issue. WGU's policy research team works to identify and elevate best practices in higher education policy with the goal of improving quality and expanding access to educational opportunities for all learners. These policy briefs contain an in-depth explanation of each issue as well as critical steps state, local, and federal government leaders can take to reduce inequity and increase the efficacy of higher education.
Licensure reform.
In the 1950s one of every 50 workers was licensed; now it is almost one in three. The costs and mobility issues associated with licensure have often been viewed as an inconvenience, one many states have attempted to address, but COVID-19 has raised the stakes: We no longer have the luxury of maintaining barriers to employment that do not serve a pressing public interest... Policymakers must address these issues across career sectors, and they should do so with the same urgency with which they created flexibility for healthcare workers in the early stages of COVID-19. As the nation grapples with the unprecedented financial fallout from the pandemic, removing unnecessary barriers to employment is essential. This does not mean an unregulated workplace, but rather, one in which regulations are right-sized to safeguard the public and arbitrary barriers are removed, maximizing individuals’ opportunities for meaningful employment... (read more in our Licensure Brief)
Recommendation #1: Accelerate collaboration among states to address licensure portability.
