“I am pleased to announce the passage of A.9933A, legislation that will require the State Department of Labor to partner with an academic institution with proven experience in analyzing labor market data to establish a research center to serve as the State's clearinghouse for wage data. The clearinghouse would be required to issue reports evaluating workforce preparation, worker training and selected education programs, and to provide data on workforce trends. This would allow the state to benefit from the expertise of academics in conducting important research while keeping the data protected.

“The state spends billions of state and federal dollars each year on educating and training future workers through public primary education, public colleges and universities, workforce development and preparation programs, and adult literacy classes. Currently, policymakers and the public have little idea which programs are effective and actually help participants get on career paths that lead to living wage employment.

“Since enactment of a state law in 2013, colleges and public workforce programs have had access to the earnings and employment information of people who completed their programs. While most large institutions do have the capacity to meet the state's exacting standards for using the information safely and effectively, smaller workforce preparation programs which might benefit from information do not have the technological capacity and analytical expertise to use the data.

“In other states are using wage data, often in combination with education data to assess education and workforce programs, this legislation will allow New Yorkers to focus training and funding where it is needed most.