Governor Gives State of the State Address

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This afternoon Governor Gregoire addressed both chambers of the Washington Legislature, several public officials, and the citizens of Washington in her State of the State Address.

Governor Gregoire emphasized three points in her address.

  • The need to create a stable and secure financial future for the state
  • The realization that state government cannot do it all
  • The need to transform state government into a leaner and more efficient and effective system.

She reiterated her proposals to create a Department of Education and change the state ferry system into a regional operation. She also pointed to health care and pensions as critical areas of spending that need to be reigned in.

Finally, she urged the Legislature to take early action (ideally by February) on a supplemental bill to eliminate the remaining budget gap in the current fiscal year.

The Republican response to the State of the State was provided by first-time Representative Ann Rivers (R-LaCenter). 

In her comments, Representative Rivers stated that the Republicans are focused on two issues this session

  • Strengthening the economy by creating jobs
  • Balancing the state budget without raising taxes

In addition, she stated that education, health care, and transportation were important issues.

Washington Senate Changes Historic Rule

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Today, the Washington Senate voted to end a 96-year-old requirement that amendments to the operating budget offered on the Senate floor receive a supermajority in order to pass.

In 1915, the Senate adopted a supermajority requirement for floor amendments to the operating budget proposed by Ways & Means Committee. A two-thirds vote was requirement for amendments, but the Senate heard amendments on the floor as a committee of the whole, which appears to have meant that votes on the amendments were not recorded.

The requirement for voting as a committee of the whole was dropped in 1983, and the threshold lowered from two-thirds to sixty percent, creating the rule as it has existed for 28 years until today.

Higher Education’s Contributions to the Economy and Citizenship Focus of First House Higher Education Cmte Hearing

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This afternoon the House Higher Education Committee began the 2011 legislative session with a work session focused on the contributions of higher education to society.

The work session was anchored by two substantial reports focused on the contributions higher education makes to both the economy and citizenship.

Dr. Zumeta, UW School of Public Affairs and Educational Leadership & Policy Studies focused on higher education’s impact on society.  His presentation focused on the impact of higher education on the economy and on several subgroups within society, including low-income individuals and underrepresented communities.

Dr. O’Mara, University of Washington History Department, provided a historical examination of the impact of higher education on society with an emphasis on Washington.

The Committee also received an overview of the state’s economic and revenue forecast and the health of the state’s labor market.

The next scheduled meeting of the House Higher Education is Wednesday, January 12.

* Note: All committee presentations can be found on the House Higher Education Committee’s website by clicking on Committee Meeting Documents, selecting the date and work session, and then selecting the presentation

2011 Washington Legislature Convenes

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Today the 2011 Washington State Legislature convened in Olympia.

The next 100 days will be dominated by discussions regarding the current fiscal year budget and the 2011-13 biennial budget. In addition, it is expected that policymakers will look at legislation that will enhance job creation and reform parts of government.

The 105-day regular legislative session is scheduled to adjourn on April 24.

TEACH Legislation Reintroduced in Congress

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This week U.S. Representative Baca (D-CA) reintroduced the Teacher Education Assistance Creating Hope (TEACH) for Our Future Act. 

The legislation is intended to provide all public elementary and high school teachers in the U.S. who have taught full time for five consecutive years the opportunity to receive $25,000 in student loan forgiveness.

2011 Legislative Session: Week 1

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The 2011 Legislative Session convenes on Monday, January 10.

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 a review of the Governor’s proposed operating and capital budgets for 2011-13.

In addition, the higher education related committees (i.e. House Higher Education and  Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) plans to receive updates and learn the latest regarding the contributions of higher education to the economy, a profile of Washington college students, and higher education funding.  In addition, work sessions will focus on the interim work of the Technology Transformation Task Force, the Lottery with regard to Opportunity Pathways, and the HECB’s work on accountability and system design.

Governor Announces Creation of New Department of Education

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This morning Governor Gregoire announced her plans to create a new Department of Education.

The creation of this Department will allow for the construction of a cohesive system that will provide a seamless, state-level education system for early learning through career training.

The plan would create a Cabinet-level Department of Education to:

  • Focus on students and student learning
  • Promote coordinated, innovative, flexible student-centered services
  • Eliminate duplication and provide more efficient administration
  • Provide clear lines of authority and responsibility to increase accountability
  • Provide a “one-stop education shop” for the public

Led by a Secretary of Education, the Department will have the authority to run the entire Washington state education system.

The plan would also abolish the Office of the Superintendnet of Public Instruction, Department of Early Learning, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

New Chair of U.S. House Subcommittee on Higher Education Announced

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Yesterday, U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) announced that she will chair the higher education subcommittee.

Representative Foxx stated she was “excited to roll up my sleeves and work toward making our higher-education system even better while carefully stewarding taxpayer dollars.”

Representative Foxx also shared that she does not have an agenda yet but suggested she would not shield higher education prograrms from spending cuts and raised doubts regarding the need for community colleges to produce 5 million more graduates with degrees or certificates by 2020.

Representative Foxx was elected to Congress in 2004 after spending 10 years in the North Carolina Senate and several years as a professor and administrator at several North Carolina colleges. She also served as president of Mayland Community College in 1987.  She joined the education committee in Congress in 2005 and left in 2008 to serve on the rules committee.

Governor’s Higher Education Task Force Announces Recommendations

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On Monday, Governor Gregoire’s Higher Education Task Force released its recommendations.

The Governor asked sixteen business, government and education leaders this past summer to come up with ideas to increase college degree production by 30 percent over the next decade, while dealing with budget deficits.

In addition, she asked the Task Force to sugget long-range budget plans, recommend ways to improve accountability and performance of the state’s colleges and universities, and consider whether changes should be made in the way the state governs its higher education system.

The task force proposed a set of interdependent recommendations.   The recommendations include the following:

  •  The State adopt a new financial formula for the public four-year universities that better combines state budget support with increased flexibility for the universities to set their own tuition rates. 
  • The State take a new, innovative, and sustainable step to provide financial aid for low- and middle income Washington students who want to attend college by creating the Washington Pledge Scholarship Program.
  • The State put in place concrete steps to continue to promote accountability and performance by the State’s public universities. 

 To achieve these objectives, the Task Force recommends:

  • Increasing the number of Washington residents graduating with bachelor’s degrees from Washington’s colleges and universities, especially in high demand fields — science, technology, engineering, and math.
  • Providing the universities with increased flexibility to set tuition — linked to the level of state support and to the tuition charged by each institution’s peer colleges.
  • Expanding financial assistance to low- and middle- income students through a combination of private and public strategies, including a $1 billion endowment fund and tax incentives.
  • Holding each public university accountable for graduating more students with bachelor’s degrees, giving incoming students credit for high school coursework, community college studies and prior learning experiences, and revamping some academic programs.

The Task Force’s recommendations now go to the Washington Legislature via legislation sponsored by the Governor for further consideration.