Jobs for the Future undertook a program designed to enhance the ability of four states--Colorado, Indiana, Mississippi, and Missouri--to manage economic change is described in this report. An analysis of what was happening in the state economies, especially the kinds of jobs that were being created, was carried out. The research portions of the work included the following: (1) preparation of state and substate economic, demographic, and work force skill analysis; (2) analysis of the public sector system for education and training; (3) analysis of private sector needs, concerns, and investments in education and training through surveys and field work; (4) involvement and recruitment of key constituency groups; (5) focus groups, worker surveys, and other forums for citizen input; and (6) public education about results and recommendations for action. Findings indicated that states seemed paralyzed by the far-reaching economic changes they faced. Government, business, education, and labor appeared unable to respond with the requisite speed and scale. Government's old rule of investing in traditional educational institutions did not meet the increased need to raise adults' skill levels. Employer survey data showed a gap between theory and practice. Surveyed workers were ambivalent about getting more training. A proposed new state agenda for the 1990s includes establishment of a lifelong learning system, integration of economic and human resource development, attention to scale of effect, leveraging of private sector investment, and improvement of transitions. (YLB)