Sometimes, as one skims the news, there will be a sentence that, at first glance, is thrown in or not the main point. But often, those sentences should grab our attention and make us ask questions. We found one such sentence in a recent article about JPMorgan shifting jobs out of NYC.

Most of the article focuses on JPMorgan reining in costs ahead of  a possible economic slump by moving some operations out of high-cost New York City, but notice this section: 

In 2013, [Jamie Dimon] praised Florida’s business-friendly policies and joked that he sometimes wonders why JPMorgan doesn’t relocate to Miami. The bank at one point considered moving its headquarters to the Sunshine State, but executives pushed back over issues including the quality of Florida’s schools, said one person familiar with the talks (emphasis mine).

The reality is businesses move to communities that benefit both their company and employees. So, of course, places like Florida, where there is no income tax, would appeal to businesses like JPMorgan. But what else can be a big enough barrier to keep a company from moving to a place with no income tax? SCHOOLS. 

That’s right - when JPMorgan legitimately considered Flordia, the executives took issue with the quality of public schools there. But what if instead of being a barrier to economic growth, schools could be used as incentives for businesses like JPMorgan to move high-paying jobs into your state?

JPMorgan’s decision drives home the reality that unacceptable schools currently keep businesses out of some communities. Now consider the possibility that a variety of opportunities for education in a community can bring economic vitality to those very places.