WHY WE'RE HERE

 

Vision Shared exists to accelerate progress in West Virginia. Those of us who live here know this state is brimming with potential, but our economic performance is uneven at best. For West Virginia’s economy to compete regionally, nationally and globally, positive changes need to happen faster – that’s where Vision Shared can play a role, not just in working to achieve progress but also to track the state’s performance.

Each year, Vision Shared produces a Performance Measures Report that assesses West Virginia’s progress in achieving goals originally set when Vision Shared was created in 2001. The report also provides a reliable snapshot at how the state is competing economically with the region and nation.

Vision Shared already has seen success in its ability to make a positive impact on some indicators of West Virginia’s economic competitiveness. Workers’ compensation rates, for example, used to be a major area of concern for the Mountain State. Vision Shared played a role in helping to bring about reforms to the system, and those changes followed by market privatization have brought a significant shift that catapulted West Virginia into a much more competitive position.

Not all economic indicators have seen such improvement, however, and Vision Shared volunteers will continue to collaborate and work to enhance West Virginia’s economic growth.

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WEST VIRGINIA STATS

 

West Virginia continues to struggle when it comes to some basic indicators of our economic strength; however, the state is showing some signs of stabilization and potential improvement.

See our annual Performance Measures Report for more details.

  • The 2011 Outcome Measures Report contains 55 indicators identified in the original 2000-2001 Implementation Plan.
  • West Virginia’s position has improved in 33 of the 55 benchmarks.
  • Of those improvements, benchmarks have been achieved in seven supporting indicators identified.

GOAL AREAS

Vision Shared’s four new focus areas cover a vast majority of the challenges West Virginia faces now and will face in the future.  Our board members believe that improvements in these areas will help us reach our broader vision. Comparing our progress over time shows that West Virginia must start making gains in these areas to compete in the global economy.

  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP GOAL — By 2015, West Virginia ranks first in the nation in the percentage of residents who start a business.
    • Percentage of Residents Who Started a Business: WV 0.35%; U.S. Rank 18th (2009)   
      In 2000: WV 0.18% vs. U.S. 0.27%
  • EDUCATION GOAL  — By 2020, West Virginia ranks first in the United States for reading and math scores of grade 4 and grade 8 students. 
    • Percentage of Grade 4 Public School Students at or Above Proficient Level in Reading: WV 26%; U.S. Rank 42nd  (2009)
      In 2002, WV 28% vs. U.S. 30%

    • Percentage of Grade 4 Public School Students at or Above Proficient Level in Mathematics: WV 28%; U.S. Rank 44th (2009)
      In 2000, WV 18% vs. U.S. 22%

    • Percentage of Grade 8 Public School Students at or Above Proficient Level in Reading: WV 22%; U.S. Rank 44th (2009)
      In 2003, WV 25% vs. U.S. 27%

    • Percentage of Grade 8 Public School Students at or Above Proficient Level in Mathematics: WV 19%; U.S. Rank 49th (2009)
      In 2000, WV 17% vs. U.S. 25%

  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GOAL — By 2020, West Virginia ranks among the top 20% internationally for the percentage of adults with an associate’s degree or higher.
    • Percentage of Persons 25 Years+ With Associate Degree or Higher: WV 23.3% (2009) Estimated International Rank is 19th of 31 OECD countries (Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development Countries, 2006)
      In 2000, WV 19.1%

  • RESEARCH AND COMMERCIALIZATION GOAL — By 2020, West Virginia ranks among the top 25% of the U.S. in the percentage of its workforce employed in private sector, high-tech industries. 
    • Percentage Employment in High-Tech Sectors: WV 6.7%; U.S. Rank 45th (2009)
      In 2000, WV 12.3% vs. U.S. 18.5%