A Regional Vision webpage has been establish to ensure the public availability and distribution of this information.
This website will be continuously monitored and updated until the next CRDS update in 5 years.
The Action Committee will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the action plans for their respective branches. As items are underway or completed, the webpage will be updated with progress.
The framework for evaluation is the metrics each branch chose. Successfully meeting these metrics is essential to fostering diversity, education, mobility, and resilience.
Engaging in economic planning inherently fosters resiliency, creating a steady and responsive economic environment; indicative of both economic strength and progress.
The Action Committee will also be responsible for ensuring the maintenance of the connections and growth this process championed. A more-connected region set on progress in each of our branches is naturally resilient.
This website will be continuously monitored and updated until the next CRDS update in 5 years.
The Action Committee will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the action plans for their respective branches. As items are underway or completed, the webpage will be updated with progress.
The framework for evaluation is the metrics each branch chose. Successfully meeting these metrics is essential to fostering diversity, education, mobility, and resilience.
Engaging in economic planning inherently fosters resiliency, creating a steady and responsive economic environment; indicative of both economic strength and progress.
The Action Committee will also be responsible for ensuring the maintenance of the connections and growth this process championed. A more-connected region set on progress in each of our branches is naturally resilient.
Diversity
Fostering diversity is an important part of our plan; creating a diverse workforce, generating opportunities for diverse candidates, and constructing a sound and diverse business environment that will sustain the regional economy. Attracting and retaining a diverse workforce is a critical factor to regional economic success.
One of the many projects in the region aimed at improving diversity is the Inclusive ICR partnership between ICR IOWA and the Employee Resource Group Consortium. This coalition will develop and implement strategies to attract and retain a more diverse workforce in the region.
As Inclusive ICR generates strategies and metrics, our Action Committee will be able to measure the success of our plans to foster diversity. With well-qualified candidates and an attractive regional economy, we will see improvements, not only in workforce diversity, but also in the businesses that chose ICR Iowa for their operations.
One of the many projects in the region aimed at improving diversity is the Inclusive ICR partnership between ICR IOWA and the Employee Resource Group Consortium. This coalition will develop and implement strategies to attract and retain a more diverse workforce in the region.
As Inclusive ICR generates strategies and metrics, our Action Committee will be able to measure the success of our plans to foster diversity. With well-qualified candidates and an attractive regional economy, we will see improvements, not only in workforce diversity, but also in the businesses that chose ICR Iowa for their operations.
Education
The quality of education at all levels is an important aspect of the region’s current well-being and is essential to the region’s future. Education is truly an element that cuts across and supports success in all elements of the plan: economic development, workforce development and community development.
A Regional Asset
As shown in the regional assessment compiled by Market Street, the region is recognized for a high level of educational achievement. The Market Street data show that the region enjoys a high 4-year graduation rate and is home to a higher proportion of individuals with associate or higher degrees than the state of Iowa or the nation. Its proportion of such individuals is comparable with regions around the country where a highly educated workforce is a source of competitive advantage.
Educational Institutions and Economic Development
Educational institutions are major employers, and educational technology is an important sector in the region’s economy. Public sector employment, which includes employees in public school districts, Kirkwood and the University of Iowa, is shown by Market Street as 51,673, an increase of 5.8% over 2010.
Employment in the educational services sector outside public institutions is shown as 6,590 in 2015, an increase of 15.8% over 2010. Educational institutions are a source of ideas that can spur new business and enhance the growth of existing business. For example, the creation of ACT arose from research and development activities at the University of Iowa. The Market Street data show that there is considerable potential for additional technology transfer from the University of Iowa when patent activity related to university research is compared to activity at similar research universities in the Midwest.
Educational Institutions and Workforce Development
Community school districts, Kirkwood Community College and the region’s public and private universities play a crucial role in workforce development. Kirkwood and the region’s community school districts are referenced elsewhere in this plan for the important role they play and will play in meeting employer meeting employer demands for skilled workers. The public and private universities provide candidates for professional and managerial positions and are critical to areas such as health care. Market Street reports that in 2013-14, higher education enrollment in the region per 1,000 citizens was higher than the rate for the state of Iowa and for the nation. The proximity of the other state university campuses and multiple private colleges and universities is an advantage for the region.
Educational Institutions and Community Development
Educational institutions are major providers of artistic and cultural opportunities at the local and regional level. Schools are hubs of local community activity, and colleges and universities enhance the quality of community life in the communities they serve. The colleges and universities support community and environmental agencies through their research, community service and degree program activities.
Sustaining Educational Excellence
Educational institutions at all levels deserve strong support if they are to continue to play a vital role in the region’s development. In the face of economic and demographic change, it is imperative that education remain relevant to the needs of students and their families as well as to the needs of employers and their communities.
Data gathered and distributed by the United Ways shows gaps in education achievement by ethnic background, family income,
household status and neighborhood. That data indicate that as few as 15% of students in some core neighborhoods are deemed ready for kindergarten when they enter. Residents of those neighborhoods show dramatically lower levels of educational achievement than is true of the region at large.
A number of promising initiatives have been implemented in the region have been implemented to address the school achievement challenge. For example, those initiatives include the Every Learner Future Ready initiative in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the Reading into Success initiatives in the Metro Cedar Rapids area, and the Kids on Course and Kids on Course University programs in Cedar Rapids. The Early Literacy initiative in Johnson County focuses on elementary students at Title I schools, reaching more diverse, lower income students.
A Regional Asset
As shown in the regional assessment compiled by Market Street, the region is recognized for a high level of educational achievement. The Market Street data show that the region enjoys a high 4-year graduation rate and is home to a higher proportion of individuals with associate or higher degrees than the state of Iowa or the nation. Its proportion of such individuals is comparable with regions around the country where a highly educated workforce is a source of competitive advantage.
Educational Institutions and Economic Development
Educational institutions are major employers, and educational technology is an important sector in the region’s economy. Public sector employment, which includes employees in public school districts, Kirkwood and the University of Iowa, is shown by Market Street as 51,673, an increase of 5.8% over 2010.
Employment in the educational services sector outside public institutions is shown as 6,590 in 2015, an increase of 15.8% over 2010. Educational institutions are a source of ideas that can spur new business and enhance the growth of existing business. For example, the creation of ACT arose from research and development activities at the University of Iowa. The Market Street data show that there is considerable potential for additional technology transfer from the University of Iowa when patent activity related to university research is compared to activity at similar research universities in the Midwest.
Educational Institutions and Workforce Development
Community school districts, Kirkwood Community College and the region’s public and private universities play a crucial role in workforce development. Kirkwood and the region’s community school districts are referenced elsewhere in this plan for the important role they play and will play in meeting employer meeting employer demands for skilled workers. The public and private universities provide candidates for professional and managerial positions and are critical to areas such as health care. Market Street reports that in 2013-14, higher education enrollment in the region per 1,000 citizens was higher than the rate for the state of Iowa and for the nation. The proximity of the other state university campuses and multiple private colleges and universities is an advantage for the region.
Educational Institutions and Community Development
Educational institutions are major providers of artistic and cultural opportunities at the local and regional level. Schools are hubs of local community activity, and colleges and universities enhance the quality of community life in the communities they serve. The colleges and universities support community and environmental agencies through their research, community service and degree program activities.
Sustaining Educational Excellence
Educational institutions at all levels deserve strong support if they are to continue to play a vital role in the region’s development. In the face of economic and demographic change, it is imperative that education remain relevant to the needs of students and their families as well as to the needs of employers and their communities.
Data gathered and distributed by the United Ways shows gaps in education achievement by ethnic background, family income,
household status and neighborhood. That data indicate that as few as 15% of students in some core neighborhoods are deemed ready for kindergarten when they enter. Residents of those neighborhoods show dramatically lower levels of educational achievement than is true of the region at large.
A number of promising initiatives have been implemented in the region have been implemented to address the school achievement challenge. For example, those initiatives include the Every Learner Future Ready initiative in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the Reading into Success initiatives in the Metro Cedar Rapids area, and the Kids on Course and Kids on Course University programs in Cedar Rapids. The Early Literacy initiative in Johnson County focuses on elementary students at Title I schools, reaching more diverse, lower income students.
Resilience
Having a resilient region is paramount to regional success. Resilience is created by advancements made in each of the branches and each of the action steps.
When choosing these major areas to focus our efforts we looked at the major areas in which our region must improve it’s resilience.
For example, by having a well-educated population, we have a better qualified and more capable workforce, and a more inviting environment. Similarly, by working on improving our natural environment we create more appealing communities and reduce
future flood risks.
Economic resilience is enhanced by strategies that promote entrepreneurialism, business retention, and business attraction; by and by concentrating on limited, but varied, industry sectors; identified linkages between education and workforce development efforts.
The expectation for resilience created by growth in each branch is mentioned in the paragraph above the action steps on each branch’s page. In addition to specific strategies enumerated in this plan, information on environmental, economic, and social resilience can be found in many of the appendices.
The organizational partnerships and the planning framework established for creation of this plan have established the infrastructure for its implementation. By its very nature, it has established an information network among the various stakeholders in the region, and created a commitment to active communication among the public, private, education, and non-profit sectors.
When choosing these major areas to focus our efforts we looked at the major areas in which our region must improve it’s resilience.
For example, by having a well-educated population, we have a better qualified and more capable workforce, and a more inviting environment. Similarly, by working on improving our natural environment we create more appealing communities and reduce
future flood risks.
Economic resilience is enhanced by strategies that promote entrepreneurialism, business retention, and business attraction; by and by concentrating on limited, but varied, industry sectors; identified linkages between education and workforce development efforts.
The expectation for resilience created by growth in each branch is mentioned in the paragraph above the action steps on each branch’s page. In addition to specific strategies enumerated in this plan, information on environmental, economic, and social resilience can be found in many of the appendices.
The organizational partnerships and the planning framework established for creation of this plan have established the infrastructure for its implementation. By its very nature, it has established an information network among the various stakeholders in the region, and created a commitment to active communication among the public, private, education, and non-profit sectors.
Mobility
The movement of goods and people around a region and connectivity to outside markets are important concerns for employers and residents. In public input, while congestion on I-380 was highlighted as a weakness, 45.5 percent of survey respondents still felt that overall mobility was a strength in the region. While some complained of the time necessary to commute from one end of the region to another, others with perspective on benchmark regions acknowledged that travel times across were manageable. Per the data, only Iowa drivers spent less time commuting than region residents. In fact, almost 80 percent of regional commutes take less than 30 minutes. This is compared to a little over 63 percent at the U.S. level.
Commuting options in the region have been enhanced by new CorridorRides carpool and vanpool programs, and may be furthered by a new express bus service between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City slated to launch in the summer of 2018. While an exact route has yet to be formalized, expected stops include downtown Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, perhaps Coralville, the University of Iowa medical campus, and downtown Iowa City. A study was also commissioned to examine options for rail connectivity between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, but the results of the report are not yet available.
As noted in the Transportation Assessment section, the Market Street survey were asked to rate the current transportation system. Most responses centered on maintaining the current transportation network and expanding the system to allow for modal options. Based upon this input and the results of the assessment, the following transportation goals were developed.
Commuting options in the region have been enhanced by new CorridorRides carpool and vanpool programs, and may be furthered by a new express bus service between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City slated to launch in the summer of 2018. While an exact route has yet to be formalized, expected stops include downtown Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, perhaps Coralville, the University of Iowa medical campus, and downtown Iowa City. A study was also commissioned to examine options for rail connectivity between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, but the results of the report are not yet available.
As noted in the Transportation Assessment section, the Market Street survey were asked to rate the current transportation system. Most responses centered on maintaining the current transportation network and expanding the system to allow for modal options. Based upon this input and the results of the assessment, the following transportation goals were developed.
