Survey: Limited Job Market Expected in Area

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield area employers expect to hire at a cautious pace during the third quarter of 2009, according to the recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. From July to September, 14% of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 22% expect to reduce their payrolls. Additionally, 60% expect to maintain their current staff levels, and 4% are not certain of their hiring plans. For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in professional and business services and leisure/hospitality services. Employers in durable-goods manufacturing, non-durable-goods manufacturing, transportation and utilities, information, financial activities, education and health services, and government plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in construction and wholesale and retail trade is expected to remain unchanged. Of the more than 28,000 employers surveyed in the U.S., 15% expect to increase their staff levels during the July-to-September period, while 13% expect to reduce their payrolls, resulting in a net employment outlook of 2%. Also, 67% of employers expect no change in hiring, and 5% are undecided about third-quarter 2009 hiring plans. The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released Sept. 8 to report hiring expectations for the fourth quarter of 2009. The complete survey results can be found at www.us.manpower/com/meos.

Year-over-year Delinquency Rate Climbs

NEW YORK — Average bank-card borrower debt inched upward nationally by 0.8% to $5,776 from the previous quarter’s $5,729, and by 4.1% compared to the first quarter of 2008 ($5,548), according to a new report by TransUnion. The highest state-average bank-card debt remains in Alaska at $7,476, followed by Tennessee at $6,869 and Nevada at $6,677. The lowest average bank-card debt was found in Iowa ($4,300), followed by North Dakota ($4,414) and West Virginia ($4,640). Nationally, the bank card delinquency rate increased to 1.32% in the first quarter of 2009, up 9.1% over the previous quarter. Year-over-year, bank-card delinquencies increased 11% to 1.3%. Incidence of bank card delinquency was highest in Nevada (2.4%), followed by Florida (1.9%) and Arizona (1.7%). Information for the analysis is culled quarterly from approximately 27 million anonymous, individual credit files, providing a real-life perspective on how U.S. consumers are managing their credit health.

Study: Education Reform Has Had Limited Success

BOSTON — Bold new steps are needed for the state to meet one of the primary goals of education reform, according to a new report recently released by MassINC. Incomplete Grade: Massachusetts Education Reform at 15 assesses the impact of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 (MERA) and compares the relative performance of low-spending school districts with those of high-spending school districts. The study found that, despite producing gains in overall student achievement since its passage, the legislation has not closed the achievement gap that remains between high- and low-spending districts. The report also found that shifting demographics in Massachusetts have increased the percentages of low-income students in the lowest-spending districts, raising questions about the effect of concentrated poverty on student performance. The report’s findings show that the funding levels of low-spending districts have been raised to meet statewide averages, largely through a doubling of state aid to those districts. In terms of overall student performance, it appears the architects of MERA have much to celebrate. At the time of education reform, the proficiency levels of state students were above the national average. But the gains in the performance of Massachusetts students as education reform has been implemented have outpaced those of their national and international peers, as evidenced by leading scores in NAEP and the international TIMSS. Statewide SAT and MCAS scores have consistently improved as well. The report concludes that, despite the gains made, more of the same will not close the achievement gap and that precedent-setting initiatives, particularly those that are focused on cultivating high-performing, low-spending schools, are needed. The report includes recommendations such as placing the most effective teachers in high-poverty schools, rewarding teachers who are effective in raising student achievement, and raising the cap on charter schools and allowing effective charter schools to operate additional schools. The full report is available online at www.massinc.org.