Author Archives: jgarver

HECB Holds Final Meeting

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On June 28 the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) held its final meeting as a state agency.

The meeting focused primarily on the Board’s Call to Action and a dialogue with higher education stakeholders with regard to the current context of higher education in Washington and hopes for the new agency that will replace the HECB on July 1.

The Call to Action focuses on renewing the state’s commitment to serve more students. The call lays out the current context highlighting the reductions in state funding, the benefits of raising educational attainment, and the long-term impact of a disinvestment in higher education.

The call asks stakeholders and policymakers to maintain access and affordability with an eye to the future in this challenging fiscal environment.

As higher education institutions and states nationwide continue to grapple with new funding realities, we again stress the need to find new ways to invest in our children’s and our society’s futures by maintaining our historic commitment to educating all our citizens to higher levels. Institutions and states share this responsibility.

The Higher Education Coordinating Board will be replaced on July 1 by the Washington Student Achievement Council.

 

 

Washington Revene Forecast Stable

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The release of the state economic and revenue forecast today shows signs of stability.

The first official revenue forecast since the Legislature left Olympia shows a small net change in the current biennium’s forecast. Effectively flat, the forecast declined by $16.1 million for the 2011-13 biennium.  A decline also occurred for the 2013-15 biennium – $133 million.

The total increase in revenue for the current budget (2011-13) is an increase of $156 million. However this includes additional revenue that was already accountaed for in the budget passed this year. The forecast projects an increase from the February forecast of $197 million in the 2013-15 biennium.

Within this context, legislative fiscal leaders noted that changes related to funding basic education-this does not include changes in employee compensation-would cost the state approximatley $1 billion in 2013-15, $2.5 billion in 2105-17, and $3 billion in the 2017-19 biennium.

All in all state revenues appear to be flat at this time, though revenues have not recovered from pre-recession levels. Within Washington revenue continues to grow at a slow rate primarily due to a flat construction sector and declining state and local government employment. Looking forward there is a 40% chance of the pessimistic forecast occurring in both this and the next biennium compared to 10% for the optimistic forecast.

With that said, legislators believe that as long as this course forward holds another special session prior to the January regular session is unlikely.

Washington Gubernatorial Candidates Debate

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On Tuesday the Association of Washington Businesses hosted the first gubernatorial debate in Washington.

The debate provided insight into how both candidates would address a range of issues facing Washington. Among the issues highlighted included charter schools, Initiative 1053 repeal, and jobs and the economy.

In addition both candidates spoke to their approach to fund higher education. Inslee spoke to his goal to cap the interset rate for state-backed student loans, expand online courses, and increase partnerships with the state’s premier private colleges.

McKenna focused on the need to stop the erosion of state support for higher education and restore funding levels to their historical average, enroll more in-state students in our universities, and emphasize degree programs that align with our future job needs, such as science, technology, engineering, math, math education, business management, accounting, and health science.

No additional debates between the two candidates have been scheduled to date.

U.S. Senate Committee Passes Education Spending Bill

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This week the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill that will increase some federal funding for higher education.

The bill would increase the maximum Pell Grant by $85 in the 2013 fiscal year and give $100 million more in funds to the National Institutes of Health.

The maximum award for the Pell Grant would increase from $5,550 to $5,635 in the 2013-14 academic year. The increase is a result of a mandatory inflation adjustment. Discretionary spending to the program would remain flat.

The bill also would keep spending flat for most other student-aid programs for the 2013 fiscal year, including the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and Federal Work Study.

In addition the bill would:

  • Increase funding for international and foreign-language programs (from $74 million to $75.7 million)
  • Provide funding for the First in the World program which would allow colleges to test new approaches to education
  • Restore eligibility for federal financial aid to students without high-school diplomas or GED’s who have passed an “ability to benefit” test
  • Restore $50.72 million in funding for the Math and Science Partnership program
  • Reduce funds to Race to the Top for elementary and secondary education to office the restoration to the Math and Science Partnership program

The bill now goes to the full Senate for a vote. The U.S. House Appropriations Panel is expectd to draft its own version of the bill next week.