Media Highlights

Opportunity News: Florida’s Opportunity Crisis

by Opportunity Nation   •  

Each week, Opportunity Nation shares key stories that explore opportunity-related issues in powerful, provocative ways. Many of these articles and op-eds include new data and research on key economic, educational, social and civic factors that affect upward mobility and community well-being.

As a bipartisan organization committed to working with diverse leaders, organizations and institutions, Opportunity Nation does not endorse all of the opinions or content shared here. But we strongly believe the exchange of ideas and civil dialogue are central to finding common ground and making significant, sustained progress as a society.

Share these links on social media and with your networks. Let’s keep the national conversation going about how we can all work to #ExpandOpportunity to more Americans.

Florida ranks low on the national Opportunity Index 

According to the business columnist at the Tampa Bay Times, Robert Trigaux, “Florida says it wants ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ but it really needs ‘opportunity, opportunity, opportunity.’ “

Income Inequality and Higher Education 

new study of universities in the UK, Australia and the U.S. show that wealthier American students are six times more likely to go to an elite university than are working class students. Yet “with the right mix of high expectations and individualized support, students from all social backgrounds can do well.”

Job Skills

This story about a successful apprenticeship program developed by a German engine manufacturer and public high schools in South Carolina offers a model of what can be done nationwide to help younger workers get decent paying jobs.

Minimum Wage

There is some growing support among Americans for raising the minimum wage, particularly among retail workers, “who earn a median pay of about $9.60 an hour or less than $20,000 a year.”

Want to join the conversation? Tweet at @OppNation or connect with us on Facebook

Opportunity Nation Opportunity Nation is a bipartisan, national campaign comprised of more than 350 cross-sector organizations working together to expand economic mobility and close the opportunity gap in America. Opportunity Nation envisions the United States as a nation where everyone – regardless of where they were born – has equal access to opportunity, economic mobility, and success at all stages of life.

« Back to Blog

Stay Informed