Monthly Archives: January 2012

Local Legislator Introduces Proposal to Restructure Revenue in Washington and Invest in Higher Education

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This week Representative Chris Reykdal and Senator David Frockt released the Higher Opportunity Promise for Education (HOPE) Act.

The Act fundamentally restructures Washington’s tax code and dedicates funds in the process for higher education. Reykdal and Frockt frame the need for such a proposal by focusing both on the need for more Washington students to attend and complete higher education and the need to restructure the state’s tax structure.

The intention is that by addressing the need for greater participation in higher education and changes in the tax structure the state would be able to dedicate funding to universal access to higher education and fully fund current financail aid obligations, free up funds in existing state resources for other purposes, and restructure the state’s tax code as follows:

  • Completely eliminate the State B&O Tax
  • Reduce the sales and use tax from 6.5% to 5%
  • Broaden the new 5% sales tax and use tax to all personnel and professional services
  • Create the Higehr Opportunity Promise for Education Income Tax at 1% on adjusted gross income and corporate gross profit.

Higher Education Committees Kick-Off Work

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The legislative higher education committees in the Washington House and Senate held their first committee hearings of the 2012 Supplemental session this week.

House Higher Education

Yesterday afternoon the House Higher Education Committee adjourned for the first time in the 2012 Supplemental Session

The Committee held a two-hour work session focused on the successes of Washington’s public two- and four-year institutions.

The six public baccalaureate institutions shared international, national, and state institutional recognitions. The recognitions ranged from rankings as top institutions in the nation to leaders in the area of sustainability. Among the recognitions Evergreen shared with the Committee were:

  • One of four colleges in the Pacific Northwest included in the Fiske Guide’s 2011 Best Buy (January 2011)
  • Earned a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) Silver Star from AASHE, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (July 2011)
  • Noted Among U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 Edition of ‘America’s Best Colleges’ Evergreen Recognized for Learning Communities Approach
    • The Evergreen State College was included in 2012 ‘Best Colleges’ Guide, ranking among the top regional institutions in the West, and in the top 10 ranked public institutions in the West.
    • Evergreen received accolades for its focus on teaching, for its first year experience, and for its “learning community” approach. (September 2011)
  • Included as a college/university in the G.I. Jobs 2012 College List (September 2011)
  • Military Times Magazine ranks Evergreen as 16th among all colleges in the country in assisting veterans. The highest ranking of any college in the NW. (November 2011).

The Committee is scheduled to meet again on Wednesday.

Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development

This morning the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Committee kicked-off their work.

The Committee held a work session focused on two issues: (1) Update on the Open Course Library by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and (2) Overview of the Common Course Numbering Work Group report.

The Committee is scheduled to meet again on Wednesday.

 

2012 Supplemental Session Kicks-Off

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This afternoon policymakers returned to Olympia to begin the 2012 supplemental session.

The sixty-day supplemental session continues the work the Washington Legislature began in December. In December the Legislature met for a special session focused on a projected shortfall of approximately $1.4 billion with the strong intention of setting aside another $600 million in reserves. The lawmakers were successful in passing some early budget action to close about a quarter of the $2 billion gap in state funding primarily through transfers, estimated savings in the previous biennium, a change in unclaimed property, and a handful of reductions.

The next sixty days will focus on resolving the remaining $1.5 billion budget problem, a conversation that is likely to be complex and require a balance of reductions, reform, and revenue. The next revenue forecast is scheduled for February 16 and it is expected lawmakers will release budget proposals after this date.

The supplemental session is scheduled to end on March 8.  If legislators cannot complete their work it is possible the Governor could call them back into a special session. However the influence of the November general election is likely to make this difficult, especially since this time around many legislators will see changes to their district due to recommendations from the Redistricting Commission, the fact that they cannot do fundraising while they are in session, and the earlier filing date to run.

So stay tuned!

Overview of U.S. Department of Education 2011-12 Federal Budget

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At the end of December 2011 President Obama signed into law the 2011-12 federal education budget. The budget provides funding for the U.S. Department of Education and education programs from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012.

The budget provides $68.3 billion in discretionary spending to the U.S. Department of Education. This represents a 1.4% decrease from last year. Part of the federal budget negotiations included a required reduction of 0.189% across-the-board.

Multiple key programs are funded at similar funding levels to last year.  However some key programs saw declines in their funding levels.

  • The Pell Grant program received a slight reduction of 0.58% with a maximum annual level of per student funding set at $5,550. A limit was placed on the number of full-time Pell grants any individual student may receive in a lifetime to a maximum of six years/12 semesters and requires that students have either received a high school diploma or GED, or have been homeschooled in order to be eligible.
  • The Race to the Top program saw a reduction of 21% from $699 million to $549 million. The budget legislation requires the program to include a robust early childhood education component this year.

 

2012 Supplemental Session: Week 1

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The 2012 Supplemental Legislative Session convenes on Monday, January 9.

Several work sessions and some public hearings are scheduled on critical issues that impact higher education. To learn more follow the links below.

This week the focus of the appropriations committees (i.e. Senate Ways & Means ,  House Ways & Means, House Education Appropriations) will be to review the impact of early budget action in December and the current budget situation and to review in greater detail programs and services within the budget.

In addition, the higher education related committees (i.e. House Higher Education and  Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) will receive results of reports requested from the 2011 legislative session on common course numbering and hold work sessions on innovative practices in higher education, efficiencies among the two and four year institutions in Washington, and the employment and earning outcomes for Washington’s higher education institutions.