How to get started Tearing the Paper Ceiling in Your State Government: Learnings from Iowa’s Auditor of State

Key Takeaways:

• Facing hiring challenges, Iowa’s Auditor of State began reviewing degree requirements to expand its applicant pool.
• An analysis identified 28 positions across six job series where STARs could succeed based on skills and experience.
• The review focused on roles that already allowed educational equivalency or had a track record of STAR success.
• The findings were shared publicly to build buy-in and encourage other agencies to follow suit.
• The effort provides a replicable model for states to open more roles to STARs using a structured, criteria-based approach.

Case Summary:

Amid hiring difficulties and a shrinking pool of applicants, the Iowa Auditor of State took a pragmatic approach: identify which roles truly require a degree—and which do not. With support from Opportunity@Work, the Auditor’s office reviewed hundreds of job postings and found that many state roles could be made more accessible to STARs (workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes) without compromising on performance.

Using clear evaluation criteria, the team identified 28 positions where degree requirements could be removed or replaced with experience-based alternatives. These included roles where STARs were already thriving, where the private sector didn’t require degrees, or where state policy already allowed for substitutions.

By publishing a report and hosting a press conference, the Auditor’s office not only advanced its own hiring strategy but also created momentum across state government. The effort offers a practical, step-by-step playbook for other public agencies looking to attract skilled, motivated candidates by removing unnecessary barriers.

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