Tag Archives: Washington Student Achievement Council

WA Student Achievement Council Releases Strategic Action Plan

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Building on the work of the Council’s 2013 Roadmap report, the 2014 Strategic Action Plan outlines important and immediate steps to meet the state’s attainment goals by 2023:(1)  All adults in Washington, ages 25-44, will have a high school diploma or equivalent and (2) at least 70 percent of Washington adults, ages 25-44, will have a postsecondary credential.

The Action Plan sets forth seven recommendations:

  • Fulfill caseload requirements for the College Bound Scholarship
  • Protect maintenance-level funding for public two- and four-year institutions
  • Serve more State Need Grant-eligible students
  • Expand the reach of dual-credit opportunities
  • Support underrepresented students
  • Reinvest in State Work Study
  • Develop an affordability framework.

The funding and policy recommendations in this plan were developed with input from stakeholders across the sectors, including K-12, community and technical colleges, and public and private baccalaureate institutions. The recommendations also align with the Council’s 2013 Roadmap report.

 

Evergreen Presents Before House Higher Education on Expansion and Retention

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This afternoon Evergreen presented before the House Higher Education. In a focused presentation before the Committee, Provost Michael Zimmerman and Vice President Wendy Endress addressed the question posed by the Committee –  How will the College address the goals identified by the Washington Student Achievement Council in the Ten-Year Roadmap?

In December WASAC released a ten-year strategic plan for investing in and promoting access to higher education. The plan established two educational attainment goals for 2023.

  • All adults in Washington will have a high school diploma or equivalent.
  • At least 70 percent of Washington adults will have a postsecondary credential.

In the presentation Evergreen spoke to the College’s work to reach out to targeted populations to expand higher education enrollments and success. In particular Evergreen recognized the College’s work focused on expanding access to higher education to working adults and veterans, college-pipeline programs, and incarcerated youth.

In addition Evergreen highlighted specific retention initiatives that the College has implemented and show promising results, but will require additional state investment. Among the initiatives highlighted in the presentation included expansion of student orientation programming, reduced class size, the academic statement, and the Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Evergreen was joined by colleagues from the other public baccalaureate institutions. On Friday, the Committee will hear from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the independent colleges of Washington.

Washington Student Achievement Council Adopts Ten-Year Roadmap

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This morning the Washington Student Achievement Council adopted a Ten-Year Roadmap to increase educational attainment in Washington.

The Roadmap identifies two bold goals for Washington by 2023:

  • All adults in Washington will have a high school diploma or equivalent
  • At least 70 percent of Washington adults will have a postsecondary credential.

The Council will monitor progress toward the goals annually to evaluate their long-term impacts by examining increases in the number and percentage of Washingtonians completing a high school diploma or equivalent; in the percentage of the population enrolled in a postsecondary certificate, apprenticeship, or degree program; and the number of postsecondary certificates, apprenticeships, and degrees awarded annually.

To achieve these goals the Council has identified twelve action steps:

  • Ensure Access
  1. Ensure cost is not a barrier for low-income students
  2. Keep college affordable
  3. Ensure all high school graduates are career and college ready
  4. Streamline and expand dual credit and dual enrollment programs
  5. Increase support for all current and prospective students

 

  • Enhance Learning
  1. Align postsecondary programs with employment opportunities
  2. Provide greater access to work-based learning opportunities
  3. Encourage adults to earn a postsecondary credential
  4. Leverage technology to improve student outcome

 

  • Prepare for Future Challenges
  1. Respond to student, employer and community needs
  2. Increase awareness of postsecondary opportunities
  3. Help students and families save for postsecondary education

 

The top 2013 Roadmap priority is to ensure costs is not a barrier for low-income students. To that end the Council will advocate for full-funding of the College Bound Scholarship and the State Need Grant programs. In addition work is underway to develop a funding policy to better guide legislative appropriations to institutions. Finally, the Council will prioritize the remaining Roadmap actions during the development of the 2014 Strategic Action Plan, which will outline policy and funding needs for the 2015-17 biennium.

House Higher Education Committee Tours Eastside

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Last week the House Higher Education Committee spent three days touring institutions and hearing from educators, students, and stakeholders about a range of issues facing higher education including alignment with K-12 and the workforce and serving underrepresented students in higher education.

On Friday the Committee ended its three day tour in Yakima. The focus of the early morning meeting was to hear from institutions and the Washington Student Achievement Council about serving underrepresented student populations in higher education in Washington.

This included a presentation on diversity from the Council and Washington’s two research institutions  as well as specific institutional initiatives such as the Press for Completion Grant at Yakima Valley Community College and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP).

Those sharing their experience and ideas with the Committee emphasized the need for the Legislature to be more aware of the changing and increasing minority population among college-ready students.

The Council also unveiled results of a survey sent to the baccalaureate institutions and community colleges. The survey asked the institutions to describe the funding, capacity and challenges for their diversity programs. According to the survey, the primary challenge to getting minority groups over barriers to success is scarce financial resources, followed by insufficient staff to help students.

The House Higher Education Committee is not expected to meet again until late November when the Legislature convenes for Assembly Days.

Joint Higher Education Committee Meets

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Yesterday the Washington State Joint Higher Education Committee met for the first time since its creation in Olympia.

The Committee members – including four members from each Chamber – opened the meeting by reviewing the Committee’s legislative charge and electing Co-Chairs.  Following the completion of committee business the members were presented with an overview of the Washington Student Achievement Council’s (WASAC) Ten-Year Road Map process and draft.

The Council and the Committee engaged in an interactive conversation about the Road Map and  higher education policy issues on the horizon as the supplemental session nears. In addition, the Council heard from students about their plans for the 2014 session.

Established in 2012  the purpose of the Committee is to annually review the work of WASAC; engage with the Council and higher education stakeholders to create greater communication, coordination and alignment; and provide recommendations for higher education policy.

The Committee is expected to meet again in late November.

Student Achievement Council Selects New Officers

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The Washington Student Achievement Council recently selected new leadership.

Maud Daudon and Karen Lee, as selected by the members of the Council, will serve as Chair and Vice Chair of the Council.

Ray Lawton will remain in his position as Secretary for the Council.

Maud Daudon and Karen Lee are both citizen members of the Council, serving at the request of Governor Jay Inslee. Ray Lawton is the appointed representative for the Independent Colleges of Washington.

Elections for these positions occur annually, and all three members will serve one-year terms.

Governor Names New Board Members to WASAC

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This week Governor Inslee announced a new slate of appointments to the Washington Student Achievement Council.

Earlier this year, the Governor surprised many people by removing four board members, all of the non-student gubernatorial appointed members, appointed by Governor Gregorie to the board.

The new appointees include:

  • Jeff Charbonneau, a math and science teacher who was recently named National Teacher of the Year and who currently teaches at Yakima Valley’s Zillah High School.
  • Maud Dodson, a former Seattle deputy mayor and chief of staff from 1998-2011 who is the current President and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
  • Karen Lee who served for five years as the head of the Washington State Employment Security Department and now heads Pioneer Human Services.
  • Dr. Susana Reyes, currently the assistant superintendent of the Pullman School District but who will join the Mead School District in July

The new appointees will begin work immediately, joining other board members which include a student plus representatives from K-12, the public baccalaureates, the community and technical colleges, and private institutions, for the Council’s May meeting.