What's in this toolkit

Practical guidance grounded in national best practices from states, counties, and cities that have successfully enacted similar orders. Learn what to include in draft language, how to structure policy for real implementation, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

A fill-in-the-blank executive order template you can customize for your context. The model language reduces educational barriers in public-sector hiring, clarifies scope and exceptions, establishes timelines and accountability measures, and ensures fair talent practices throughout.

Resources to make your case—including data on STARs in your region, impact projections, and examples of how other jurisdictions approached policy design across different components.

Key policy components

• Define and emphasize skills as the core measure of talent
• Remove unnecessary four-year degree requirements
• Name and define key terms (STARs, alternative routes, skills-based hiring)
• Clarify exceptions for specialized or licensed roles
• Establish clear directives, timelines, and milestones
• Require reporting on implementation progress and outcomes
• Build capacity and infrastructure for the transition
• Ensure fair talent practices and anti-discrimination protections

Who this is for

Executive leaders at the state, county, and local level who have the authority to issue executive orders. Your staff and policy teams designing skills-based talent strategy. HR and hiring teams tasked with implementing new recruitment and advancement practices. Government leaders ready to modernize public sector hiring and expand access to good-paying jobs.

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