Committees ramp up hearings, first cutoff date fast approaching

With the Feb. 7 cutoff date fast approaching, legislative committees are scheduling, hearing, and passing a number of higher education bills. Legislative proposals impacting CTCs range from financial aid, precollege initiatives, budget transparency, workforce training, and college efficiencies.

Expanding education to reduce recidivism

The House Higher Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, held a public hearing Tuesday, Jan. 28, on House Bill 2486, which aims to reduce the likelihood of former inmates re-offending by allowing postsecondary education degree programs for incarcerated adults.

While basic skills, vocational, and high school diploma or equivalent are currently allowed, the Department of Corrections (DOC) is barred from using state funds to pay for post-secondary academic education courses (those typically leading to an associate transfer degree).

The bill would repeal that prohibition and authorize DOC to offer such degree programs within available resources.

“For every dollar invested [in education for inmates], we get a five dollar return to the state in public safety and reduced social costs,” said Bernie Warner, DOC secretary, “Eighty percent of inmates who engage in education are retained in those programs. They take it very seriously.”

Warner said no state funds are used for post-secondary academic education programs offered at correctional facilities. Walla Walla Community College used funds from The Sunshine Lady Foundation to provide college transfer courses to inmates and 177 have graduated with AA degrees.

Jacquie Armstrong, SBCTC policy associate for adult basic education and corrections, testified in favor of the measure, pointing out that prison education reduces recidivism and increases employment opportunities.

Armstrong said national studies — as well as research by the Washington Institute for Public Policy — show education reduces recidivism rates. In addition, AA graduates released from the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center have, to date, had zero percent recidivism.

Kevin Miller, who earned a computer information systems program certificate and later an AA degree from Edmonds Community College while incarcerated at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary and the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, has been out of prison since July 2012. Miller will graduate from Washington State University – Vancouver in May.

“Without an opportunity for growth and change, there’s not a real shot at reforming a person [in prison],” Miller said. “Education was a springboard for my life.”

He said the scales are tipped against former inmates, but an education helps balance the scales with employers and shows a person has taken the initiative to better themselves and be a better citizen.

Link to testimony (begins at 55:05).

Senate committee holds confirmation, pre-college hearings

The Senate Higher Education Committee held a confirmation hearing for State Board member Jay Reich on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Reich said he felt privileged to work in the community and technical college sector.

“[The CTC system is] among the most flexible, it’s among the most entrepreneurial, it’s the most grounded in terms of community involvement and linkages to employment,” he said. “To me, frankly, given the daunting needs and the need for capacity-building, it holds among the greatest opportunities looking forward.”

After the confirmation hearing, the focus shifted to pre-college education. Michelle Andreas, South Puget Sound Community College vice president of instruction, discussed data-driven approaches that are making a difference in Washington.

A former SBCTC staff member, Andreas corrected two common myths: most pre-college students are straight out of high school (most have been out of high school at least three years), and they get stuck in a substrata of pre-college courses (many students take one or two pre-college courses, typically in math, while enrolled in other college-level classes).

“You might imagine yourself having gone through high school, maybe even a fabulous writer, and really good at math, but being away from those two subjects for a while [and] not having the opportunity to do a lot of continued skill development … you might need some brushing up if you were to go back and retool.”

She pointed to successful approaches in Washington, including:

·         I-BEST, which uses a team-teaching approach to combine college-readiness classes with regular, credit-bearing academic or job training classes. Students work on college-level studies right away, clearing multiple levels in one leap. 

·         Concurrent classes that close the “persistence gap.” Students are required to take precollege and college-level classes in the same subject, at the same time – such as English 98 and English 100 – leaving them no option but to proceed in college-level study.

·         Competency-based education, where students move through pre-college courses based on knowledge gained rather than time spent in a classroom.

·         Multiple assessments – including high school transcripts – for the many students who might know a subject matter but fare poorly on traditional placement tests.

Andreas pointed out that South Puget Sound Community College has collapsed the sequence of pre-college courses so students can take just a couple of courses instead of an entire series.

Link to testimony (Jay Reich at 5:57, Michelle Andreas at 16:00).

Financial aid work session

The Senate Higher Education Committee held a financial aid work session on Thursday, Jan. 30. Rachelle Sharpe, Washington Student Achievement Council senior director of student financial aid and support services, kicked off the meeting with an overview of the types of financial aid -- federal, state, institution, and private. Individual colleges package those programs differently for each student based on eligibility and program rules, she explained.

Sharpe said the average annual student loan amount increased dramatically between 2007-2008 and 2012-2013:

·         Up 50 percent for research universities.

·         Up 59 percent for regional universities.

·         Up 100 percent for community and technical colleges.

The spike in student loans started to level between 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, she said, probably because students hit the maximum federal borrowing limit those years.

Lisa Matye Edwards, Lower Columbia College vice president of student success, and Marisa Geier, director of financial aid, offered different financial aid scenarios and spotlighted the large number of students with financial need. About 429 eligible Lower Columbia students have not received State Need Grants, causing a $1.5 million Need Grant deficit at the college.

Link to testimony (Rachelle Sharpe at 12:26, Lower Columbia at 1:00:30).

Capital work session

Wayne Doty, SBCTC capital budget director, spoke before the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Jan. 30, as part of a work session on construction costs and capital projects for community and technical colleges.

The committee organized the session around capital construction cost drivers which include, among other things:

·         Inflation rate (labor/materials and market competition);

·         Scope (purpose) and durability (life expectancy);

·         Prevailing wage, high performance building;

·         Public procurement process; and

·         Codes and standards.

“We are not building the same buildings we built 12 years ago,” Doty explained. “The project cost per square foot of building has gone up faster than what can be explained by just the inflation of labor and materials.”

Doty said that despite the many changes in requirements and learning environments, the system is managing projects within the funding provided, competitively bidding every project, and returning any savings to the state when projects are complete.

Several factors result in higher costs:

·         High performance building standards (adopted in 2005);

·         Building and fire codes change every two years;

·         Storm water management manuals (updated in 2004 and 2005), with additional requirements for urban density areas;

·         Permitting authorities are imposing more mitigation to local impacts;

·         The creation of campus-wide notification and lock-down systems to increase student safety;

·         Long-term planning, flexible designs, and quality construction that allows colleges to adapt buildings to future uses; and

·         Updated technology throughout the buildings, such as wireless connectivity, projectors, and monitors.

Doty highlighted projects in the system’s 2014 supplemental request to illustrate the changes:

·         Centralia College’s new Student Service Center will replace two old buildings that do not meet current standards for safety and access.

·         Olympic College’s pending Instruction Center incorporates the changes outlined above.

Link to testimony (begins at 27:20).

Link to SBCTC presentation.

Bills

The Legislature took action on a few bills this week:

Real Hope Act, in-state tuition for veterans passes Senate

SB 6523, the Real Hope Act, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, passed the Senate 35-10 (4 excused) yesterday. This bill makes undocumented students eligible for state financial aid. In addition, $5 million in new funding is provided for the State Need Grant.

SB 6523 will now be referred to a House committee for further action.

SB 5318, introduced last session also by Sen. Bailey, passed the Senate 45-0 (4 excused) the same day. This bill waives the one-year waiting period for veterans to be able to pay in-state tuition.

SB 5318 will now be referred to a House committee for further action.

Credit for military training bill passes House

HB 1858, introduced last session by then-Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip, passed the House 95-0 (3 excused). This bill requires all higher education institutions to have a policy in place to award academic credit for students with prior military training. All CTCs currently have a policy in place.

HB 1858 will now be referred to a House committee for further action.

House hears statutory modification bill

The House Higher Education Committee heard HB 2546 on Jan. 29. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Chris Reykdal, D-Tumwater, allows the expiration of many outdated state statutes impacting CTCs including:

·         Officially transferring technical colleges from K-12 to the higher education system;

·         Enrollment and financial aid budget calculations based on participation rates from the early 90s;

·         Programs that have been defunded and are no longer used (e.g. the Displaced Homemaker Act and Project Even Start); and

·         Some higher education general obligation bonds that have since matured.

Session cutoff dates

Mandated cutoff dates determine which bills will continue through the legislative process. These dates directly impact legislative work and are important to note. This session, these dates are:

·         Feb. 7: policy committee cutoff – bills in policy committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         Feb. 11: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in fiscal committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         Feb. 18: house of origin cutoff (5pm) – bills in their original chamber must be passed.

·         Feb. 28: policy committee cutoff – bills in opposite house policy committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         March 3: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in opposite house fiscal committees must receive and hearing and be passed.

·         March 7: opposite house cutoff (5pm) – bills in the opposite chamber must be passed.

·         March 13: Sine Die – last day of the regular session.

Session resources

SBCTC Government Relations provides updated legislative resources throughout session:

·         The Bill Watch List – important bills being considered that may have significant impact on the CTC system.

·         The Bill Status Report – all bills being tracked by SBCTC staff during session.

·         The Weekly Hearing Schedule – schedule of weekly hearings where CTCs are testifying and/or monitoring bills.

·         Legislator information – contact information for legislators organized by college district, committee, caucus, etc.

CTCs honor students, advocate for system initiatives during busy second week of session

The Legislature’s second week ended with a flurry of activity around higher education issues and a near record number of bills introduced. Similar to last week, community and technical colleges were in the spotlight with a number of issues: performance funding, financial aid, dual credit programs, system funding, and many others.

Highlights below include summaries of our annual trustee winter conference and Transforming Lives event, presentations in committee work sessions, testimony on proposed legislation, and action taken on bills that impact the CTC system.

Trustees gather for conference, name Transforming Lives award winners

The Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges (TACTC) held its annual two-day Legislative Contact Conference in Olympia to honor this year’s Transforming Lives award winners and to hear from legislators about higher education issues. A number of legislators spoke at the event on Monday, Jan. 20, starting with Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, and Senate Higher Education Committee chair.

Sen. Bailey acknowledged that higher education has been neglected in recent years and said legislators are paying attention to the needs of community and technical colleges. She also thanked trustees for their important role as volunteers, serving colleges and communities with their diverse perspectives, business expertise, and insights to student success.

“We know higher education is a stepping stone to a good career,” Bailey said. “We need to make sure our students have access to one of the best education systems in the nation to prepare them to be successful, productive, and drive the state’s economy.”

Majority Floor Leader Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, said the decision to freeze tuition in the 2013-2015 operating budget marks a crucial shift in the Legislature’s approach to funding higher education. Lawmakers too often divert money from higher education and filled the gap with tuition increases that burden students who are trying to move ahead in life, he said.

“What we’re doing down here in the Legislature, I think, is a fundamental re-shift away from using tuition as a backdoor tax increase to pay for other state spending,” he said. “I hope that we have realized that the organizations that you represent in this room are the absolute keys to our economic recovery and the absolute keys to the success of our state in the long run.”

Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, and House Higher Education Committee chair, called upon the higher education community to accomplish three goals to set the stage for greater public support in 2015: turn the Washington Student Achievement Council’s Roadmap into actionable items, form an education advocacy network, and rethink student financial aid “from end to end.”

Without additional investments in higher education, he said, “…our state is going to continue to decline in educational attainment, meaning our state is going to decline. We cannot have that. We’ve got to turn it around now.”

Lawmakers focus on performance funding

David Prince, SBCTC research director, highlighted the community and technical college system’s nationally recognized Student Achievement Initiative (SAI) during a work session before the House Higher Education Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Under SAI – the system’s performance-based funding approach – colleges earn a portion of their funding based on results, not just enrollments. Points, and funding, are awarded when students reach key academic achievement points that propel them toward certificates, degrees and transfers. The number of degrees and certificates completed at Washington’s community and technical colleges increased by 46 percent from 2007-2008 to 2011-2012.

A new version of SAI launched this year places a new emphasis on student retention and completion.

The extraordinary thing about the SAI, Prince said, is that it measures student progress incrementally as students move through college.

“The performance measures recognize all of the missions within the community college system: adult basic education, transfer education, professional-technical education. We take that all into account in one measurement system,” Prince said. Through SAI, colleges learn “Here’s where your students were in the beginning of the year, here’s what’s happening to them quarter-by-quarter, here’s where you know they need to move next.”

Prince pointed to innovative approaches that are improving student success at Bellingham Technical College, Tacoma Community College, and Walla Walla Community College.

The Student Achievement Initiative was also the highlight of a Senate Higher Education Committee work session on Thursday, Jan. 23.

Link to TVW House testimony (begins at 27:55) and link to SBCTC presentation.

Link to TVW Senate testimony (begins at 17:45) and link to SBCTC presentation.

Testimony supports Governor’s capital budget proposal

Wayne Doty, SBCTC capital budget director, testified in favor of the Governor’s supplemental capital budget proposal before the House Capital Budget Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Contained in HB 2224, the proposal includes:

·         A $3.162 million new appropriation for the design phase of the Centralia College Student Services building.

·         Authority to finance $3 million for the Lower Columbia Student Housing using local funds.

·         Authority to finance $3 million for the Lower Columbia Main Building renovation using local funds.

The proposal does not provide the $53 million in construction funding requested for the Olympic College Instruction Center.

Jim Walton, Centralia College president, said the proposal would allow the college to finish redesigning its aging and overcrowded Student Services Building and replace parking that the building will ultimately displace. “Parking is an issue because we’re in the middle of a residential district and our building will displace one of our largest parking lots. The City of Centralia is so concerned that they issued us a letter saying that they would not issue us a building permit until we take care of this issue,” he said.

Chris Bailey, Lower Columbia College president, said the proposal gives the college permission to finance two projects using local funds: purchase student housing adjacent to the campus, and convert underused space in the oldest building for much-needed math classrooms. “These classrooms are part of our STEM work that is in great demand,” he said.

David Mitchell, Olympic College president, pointed out that the Olympic College Instruction Center was the only project on the system’s capital request list not funded in the budget proposal. “The system strongly recommends that this be in the budget. The project has been funded for design. It’s replacing an old building that has seismic problems, it’s not accessible, it doesn’t meet ADA standards, and mechanical and electrical systems have run their useful life.”

Link to TVW testimony (begins at 50:10).

Institutional funding put to good use for students

Students have benefitted greatly from $18.5 million in new, flexible funding authorized in the 2013-2015 operating budget, according to testimony at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Rich Cummins, Columbia Basin College president, said the funding creates a “virtuous circle” of improved student services and retention. “The Legislature’s foresight has already provided a backbone for improved strategies for attracting and retaining our community’s future – home-grown, successful students who add great value to our quality of life,” he said.

David Mitchell, Olympic College president, said the new investment has been put to good use in student support services.

Nick Lutes, SBCTC operating budget director, gave a historical funding perspective. The 2013-2015 annual state appropriations for the community and technical college system are 19 percent lower than the “high water mark” of FY 2009 (23 percent lower when adjusted for inflation). Tuition increases and other resources have helped fill the void, but have placed a burden on students. Community and technical college students now pay 35 percent of their higher education, up from 24 percent in FY 2009.

Link to TVW testimony (CTC speakers not featured because video ends early).

Link to SBCTC presentation.

Bills

Hundreds of bills have been introduced by legislators over the last week. With the first cutoff date fast approaching, the Legislature has begun to take action on a number of these proposals that impact CTCs.

House hears dual credit, Common Core, BAS degrees, and cosmetology bills

Scott Copeland, SBCTC policy associate, testified in support of HB 2285 and HB 2396 during the Jan. 22 House Higher Education Committee hearing. HB 2285 requires the WA Student Achievement Council to study dual credit programs and recommend improvements to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2014. HB 2396 aims to increase the number of underrepresented students who participate in Running Start. Local school districts are required to create enrollment plans, with information from local CTCs, to increase participation rates among these students.

Link to TVW testimony (begins at 1:04).

During a Jan. 24 House Higher Education Committee hearing, Bill Moore, SBCTC Core to College Alignment director, testified in support of HB 2383 that requires ongoing alignment of the K-12 Common Core with higher education institutions. Education agencies are required to submit information to the WA Student Achievement Council to roll into a final report due to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2014.

“We’ve been working very hard as a system to improve the issues around remediation and precollege programs in order to accelerate student progress to and through college level coursework,” Moore said.

Link to TVW testimony (begins at 23:00).

During the same hearing, Jim Walton, Centralia College president, Stu Halsan, Centralia College trustee, Jan Yoshiwara, SBCTC Education Services deputy director, and Paul Bell, Bellevue College student, testified in support of HB 2398 allowing CTCs to award honorary BAS degrees.

Halsan testified about the great opportunity for Centralia and other CTCs to grant applied baccalaureate degrees and to honor those active with their local college. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us and for people who are in rural areas to secure four-year degrees. We very much would encourage the Legislature to move this bill forward,” Halsan said.

Walton explained how Centralia College has awarded honorary associate degrees, but that allowing honorary BAS degrees would further demonstrate the important role community members play in the success of their local college. “We have offered honorary associate degrees over time and because of the fact that we now have a very successful applied science degree, we would like the ability to honor individuals who have dedicated themselves to Centralia College by offering them an honorary degree,” Walton said.

Yoshiwara testified that CTCs have seen a spike in the number of BAS degrees offered with many more in the pipeline. “We are very pleased to support HB 2398. We’ve had exponential growth in the number of programs and the number of colleges offering applied baccalaureate degree opportunities for their technical or associate degree graduates. The program is truly meeting the goals you outlined in the enabling legislation,” Yoshiwara said.

Bell offered student support for the bill explaining this is another way CTCs are responding to emerging needs. “[HB 2398] provides institutions like mine…awarding their highest honors in ways they deem appropriate, on an institution basis.”

Link to TVW testimony (begins at 53:33).

On Jan. 24, the House Business and Financial Services Committee heard a substitute to HB 2512 that creates a hair design license impacting cosmetology training programs at our colleges across the state. Tiffany Merkel, SBCTC program administrator, Alison Grazzini Smith, SBCTC legislative director, Tina Evans, Everett Community College faculty, and Sylvia Garcia, Spokane Community College faculty testified in support of the substitute bill.

Link to TVW testimony (begins at 46:22).

House passes efficiency, faculty increment bills

ESHB 1769, introduced last session by Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, passed the House 97-0 (1 excused). Aimed at increasing efficiency in higher education, this bill increases the threshold for capital predesign from $5 million to $10 million and increases the maximum value for a minor works project from $2 million to $5 million.

ESHB 1769 will be referred to a Senate committee.

HB 1348, introduced last session by Rep. Chris Reykdal, D-Tumwater, passed the House 63-34 (1 excused). This bill requires community and technical colleges to provide step increases or increments as they are negotiated in local agreements, even when the amount exceeds the compensation provided by the Legislature in the state budget. Under existing law, salary increases cannot exceed the amount set in the state budget.

HB 1348 has been referred to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.

Session cutoff dates

Mandated cutoff dates determine which bills will continue through the legislative process. These dates can impact legislative work – including a flurry of committee hearings – and are important to note. This year, these dates are:

·         Feb. 7: policy committee cutoff – bills in policy committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         Feb. 11: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in fiscal committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         Feb. 18: house of origin cutoff (5pm) – bills in their original chamber must be passed.

·         Feb. 28: policy committee cutoff – bills in opposite house policy committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         March 3: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in opposite house fiscal committees must receive and hearing and be passed.

·         March 7: opposite house cutoff (5pm) – bills in the opposite chamber must be passed.

·         March 13: Sine Die – last day of the regular session.

Session resources

SBCTC Government Relations provides updated legislative resources throughout session:

·         Bill Watch List – important bills being considered that may have significant impact on the CTC system.

·         Bill Status Report – all bills being tracked by SBCTC staff during session.

·         Weekly Hearing Schedule – schedule of weekly hearings where CTCs are testifying and/or monitoring bills.

·         Legislator information – contact information for legislators organized by college district, committee, caucus, etc.

Curtain opens on 2014 session

Week one of the 60-day legislative session has come to a close and legislators have been busy! Scheduled to end March 13, this year’s legislative session is especially busy given the constricted timeline to pass bills, a possible supplemental budget, and debate over critical statewide issues. Examples include raising the state’s minimum wage, providing a cost-of-living increase to teachers, funding statewide transportation projects, and many others.

The community and technical college system continues to be well represented in Olympia. This week, CTCs presented in committee hearings, testified on proposed bills, and met with legislators to support our 2014 legislative session priorities. Discussion ranged from student demographic data, the Governor’s proposed supplemental budget, services for student veterans, and long-term goals for the CTC system.

Below are highlights from week one…

Student demographics and workforce training

While skill gaps are a hot topic of conversation, another gap is forming in Washington: a population gap. That was the message shared with the House Higher Education Committee during a work session on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Over the next 20 years, population growth among students straight out of high school – traditionally considered the key source for enrollments – will slow, while the demand for degree-production will grow. Simply put: There won’t be enough high school graduates to meet the higher-education needs of the future workforce. Washington will need to fill the gap with older adults – a faster growing population that is burgeoning in areas of the state with less educational attainment and more diversity. These were among the findings presented by David Prince, SBCTC research director.

“High school graduation classes peaked in 2010 and they won’t peak again until 2027,” Prince said. “Growth is mostly coming from older students and nontraditional students coming back to college or going to college for the first time [and] from areas with the lowest educational attainment.”

Jan Yoshiwara, SBCTC deputy director for education services, discussed the implications for community and technical colleges.

“What we need to think about is how to tap into, in a bigger way, higher education participation for people who have been out of school for a while,” she said. “Older students are overwhelmingly work oriented. They want jobs. And a portion of them need basic skills work or some remediation to get up to college level skills.”

According to Yoshiwara, changing demographics may require a new look at funding.

“We have to think about how this is going to affect our funding, because workforce training is the most expensive stuff that we do. If our shift in…the kinds of programs we deliver lean more heavily toward the more expensive programs – which is what we need to do – then we need to think about how we’re going to finance that.”

Yoshiwara said older students are less patient; they want to get in, get their skills, graduate, and land a job. Community and technical colleges are responding with acceleration strategies, e-learning, competency-based education and integrated studies like I-BEST, which blend basic skills and workforce training in the same class so people achieve multiple levels of education simultaneously rather than sequentially.

Link to SBCTC presentation.

Link to testimony.

Veterans’ services and the state’s workforce system

Helping veterans transition back into the workforce was the focus of a Senate Higher Education Committee work session on Thursday, Jan. 16.

Marie Bruin, SBCTC workforce policy associate, discussed the agency’s role with the Washington State Military Transition Council and highlighted far-reaching programs to help veterans readjust and land well-paying jobs. She pointed to training, advising, disability services, tutoring, and service centers as examples of veteran-focused efforts. Community and technical colleges are also working jointly to identify training “crosswalks” that connect service members’ skills with today’s jobs.

“We are developing programs specifically for veterans in allied health, manufacturing, paralegal, homeland security, emergency management, and criminal justice,” she said.

Bruin also pointed out that colleges have won federal Department of Labor grants to help veterans train for jobs in aerospace, information technology, health information technology, nursing, aviation, and prosthetics/orthotics.

“We want to take a moment to thank all the active military service members, veterans, reserve, National Guard, and their families for their commitment and service to our nation,” she said. “Collectively, we are really proud to support them in pursuing and achieving their educational and career goals.”

The committee closed with public testimony on SB 5969, which requires public colleges and universities to adopt policies to award academic credit for military training.

Scott Copeland, SBCTC student services policy associate, spoke in favor of the measure, pointing out that the state’s 34 community and technical colleges currently have policies in place. SBCTC is proposing additional language to ensure prior learning credits are applied specifically to degrees and certificates so veterans don’t run the risk of exhausting or losing their benefits.

Link to SBCTC presentation.

Link to testimony (begins at 1:01).

Long-term education goals

Chair Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, and House Higher Education Committee members, held a work session on Friday, Jan. 17 to hear how higher education institutions will meet goals outlined in the WA Student Achievement Council’s Ten-Year Roadmap.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, Dr. Tim Stokes, South Puget Sound Community College president, and Dr. Marty Cavalluzzi, Pierce College Puyallup president, explained how CTCs are working to meet the Roadmap goals for 2023:

·       100 percent of Washington adults (ages 25-44) will have a high school diploma or equivalency; and

·       70 percent of Washington adults (ages 25-44) will have a college credential.

Brown explained that CTCs represent communities across the state and help students at every educational level increase skills and workforce success.

“Every legislative district is covered by a community [or technical] college. We are very well situated because of the number of part time students and because of the outreach to traditionally underserved students to get to that growing population and help with the attainment goals of the Roadmap,” Brown said.

Dr. Cavalluzzi demonstrated how CTCs are meeting the Roadmap goals at a variety of stages throughout the system, supporting multiple pathways and on-ramps to increase student success.

“We are addressing the Roadmap goals on multiple levels. First, we’re creating that direct pipeline to the baccalaureate with 43 percent of our students earning an AA or an AS degree. We’re providing professional, technical training with degrees and certificates and now BAS degrees. That’s allowing people to continue in the workforce and move up within the workforce. We’re providing education for those individuals with less than a ninth grade education and we’re providing those courses that bridge that gap between basic skills and college level courses,” Cavalluzzi said.

A significant example of how CTCs continue to track student progress and reward success is the Student Achievement Initiative. Dr. Stokes explained to committee members that this initiative – created by the CTCs – drives our colleges to continually improve educational models.

“We believe this holds some of the greatest promise for us to help meet the two Roadmap goals. What it requires us to do on every single one of our college campuses is to rethink, redesign, and redeploy many of our educational practices… The Student Achievement Initiative is requiring us to think about how we move students through that process with the goal of getting them to college level work more quickly,” Stokes said.

Link to SBCTC presentation.

Link to hearing on TVW.

Bills

During early floor action this week, the House passed two bills that impact CTCs:

Dream Act

ESHB 1817, introduced last session by Rep. Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila, passed the House 71-23 (2 excused). This bill would allow undocumented students to be eligible for state financial aid.

“All young adults who are committed to their communities…who graduate from our high schools…who get into our state colleges…who are already paying state tuition…would be allowed to compete for the opportunity for help with tuition. This isn’t a giveaway; it’s an opportunity to compete,” Hudgins said.

Co-sponsor Rep. Bruce Chandler, R-Granger, also spoke in favor of the measure: “This issue is still what is best for our communities, what is best for our state, what is best for our children. At the end of the day, what this bill does is say, ‘if you graduate from a Washington State high school, you will be treated just the same as every other graduate from that high school.’”

Listen to testimony on TVW (begins at 27:15).

ESHB 1817 is now headed to the Senate for possible consideration.

Differential tuition

HB 1043, also introduced last session by Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, passed the House 90-2 (4 excused). This bill would repeal the ability for higher education institutions to charge differential tuition to resident students for more expensive courses or programs.

HB 1043 is now headed to the Senate for possible consideration.

Session resources

SBCTC Government Relations provides updated legislative resources throughout session:

·       Bill Watch List – important bills being considered that may have significant impact on the CTC system.

·       Bill Status Report – all bills being tracked by SBCTC staff during session.

·       Weekly Hearing Schedule – schedule of weekly hearings where CTCs are testifying and/or monitoring bills.

·       Legislator information – contact information for legislators organized by college district, committee, caucus, etc.

Legislators return to Olympia, CTC priorities highlighted

Legislators were back in Olympia this week for Committee Days. This time each year, all committees in the House and Senate hold work sessions on a variety of topics to set the stage for the upcoming regular legislative session in January.

As always, community and technical colleges were in the spotlight with work sessions, testimony, and legislative outreach to discuss system initiatives and legislative priorities. Below are highlights from another great week.

CTCs meet workforce demands

The Senate Higher Education Committee held a work session yesterday to hear reports from various stakeholders about connecting services with the needs of Washington’s employers.

Tina Bloomer, SBCTC policy associate, the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, presented the Skilled and Education Workforce Report. Using statewide labor market data, this report assesses the status of degree production in Washington and identifies where skilled workers are needed.

Highlights of the report include wage disparities at varying education levels, the impact of education on unemployment rates, and how aligning curricula between K-12 and postsecondary better prepares students for competitive workforce demands.

Link to presentation.

Kathy Goebel, SBCTC policy associate, and Amy Johnson, Association of Washington Business (AWB) strategic consultant, jointly presented on partnerships between CTCs and businesses through the Centers of Excellence (COEs). With 10 centers across the state representing in-demand fields, COEs bridge the gap between education and employers while providing professional development, training, faculty exchanges, program content development and review, and real-time economic information of local industries.

 

In early 2013, the SBCTC partnered with AWB to host skills gap forums statewide to share information about creating pipelines to better connect skilled workers with in-demand jobs. Participants discussed emerging employer needs, updated economic data, and how CTCs can help build curricula to narrow skills gaps and contribute to a healthy state economy. Outcomes from these forums can be found here.

 

Link to presentation.

 

David Prince, SBCTC research and analysis director, presented on the critical need touse current data to inform policy decisions throughout the CTC system and beyond. Prince described the type of data produced and how it’s shared between CTCs, higher education institutions, workforce agencies, and others.

 

CTCs use data to identify areas of need for colleges and to ensure students continue to have resources to reach their higher education goals. Examples include matching employment records, tracking student progression as courses are completed, and compiling program participation information. Discussions continue as needs evolve with a rapidly changing economy, in how to better collect data and share with partners statewide.

 

Link to presentation.

 

Link to hearing.

 

Legislators hearing CTC priorities

The House Higher Education Committee held a work session this morning to hear the legislative priorities from Washington’s higher education stakeholders.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, and Alison Grazzini Smith, SBCTC legislative director, presented the 2014 CTC system legislative priorities which include funding for high-demand enrollments, the Student Achievement Initiative, the MESA community college program, faculty compensation, severfal capital construction projects, and support for HB 1429 which expands postsecondary education in corrections institutions statewide.

Committee members also heard presentations from WSAC regarding the Roadmap Plan that identities Washington state educational goals for the next 10 years. Details of the Roadmap Plan can be found here. The Council of Presidents also presented its legislative priorities for the 2014 session.

Link to hearing.

Legislative outreach

To further build critical support for CTC priorities, meetings were held with key legislators and legislative staff to communicate the system’s legislative requests for the upcoming session. With recent election results, there will be a number of new legislators and legislative staff coming to Olympia in the next few months. This means additional outreach opportunities to demonstrate how community and technical colleges play a key role in elevating the lives of students, employers, and Washington’s economy.

 

Future editions

Legislative News will continue to be published as legislative activities occur that impact community and technical colleges. It will be published multiple times each week when the Legislature convenes January 13.

Special Session, CTC Students Descend on Olympia

What do aerospace training, high-demand jobs and a special legislative session have in common? Community and technical colleges!

While legislators gathered in a surprise special session this week to support Washington’s aerospace industry, more than 200 community and technical college students gathered in Olympia to learn about the legislative process and how to communicate with lawmakers. Below are highlights from this very busy, very productive week.

Special legislative session

A three-day special session came to a close on Saturday, Nov. 9 with new legislation to advance Washington’s position as a world leader in aerospace. Two workforce bills were approved to help secure Boeing production of the 777x here in Washington and support the thousands of other employers who build our state’s aerospace industry. Gov. Inslee signed both bills into law at on Monday, Nov. 11.

Link to bill signings.

House Bill 2088, unanimously passed in both the House and Senate, provides additional enrollments and facility space for aerospace training. The bill includes:

·       $8 million for an additional 1,000 full-time equivalent students in the 2014-15 school year. SBCTC and the Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing Pipeline Advisory Committee will collaborate in determining training locations to ensure programs are connected with industry needs.

·       $500,000 to develop a fabrication composite wing training program for current aerospace workers at the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center (WATR) operated by Edmonds Community College. In addition, $1.5 million in capital funds will be used to modify the WATR Center and purchase specialized equipment.

·       $5 million in capital funds will be allocated to the Department of Commerce for the Renton Aerospace Training Center currently being developed by the City of Renton at the Renton Municipal Airport. Renton Technical College will train aerospace workers at this facility.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, testified before the House Appropriations Committee in support of HB 2088 saying, “We very much appreciate the Governor’s confidence in our system’s proven ability to produce the quality workforce our state needs… Given this lead time, we will work to find enough quality faculty and staff to fill these highly technical positions and ensure we have the appropriate equipment to train our students…”

 

Larry Brown, Aerospace Machinists legislative and political director and SBCTC board member, also testified in support, “... The community and technical colleges is an outstanding investment… We have a window of opportunity to make these investments and get these folks there so they can replace people that will retire shortly. I urge your support for this investment in workforce training for aerospace.”

 

Link to testimony (beginning at 35:00).

 

Others testifying in support included Larry Cluphf, Edmonds Community College WATR Center; Carol Weigand, Spokane Community College; and Alex Pietsch, Governor’s Office for Aerospace.

 

The Legislature also passed Senate Bill 5952 that extends aerospace tax preferences until 2040 and expands the sales and use tax exemption to construct new facilities for superefficient airplane manufacturing.

 

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director testified in support of SB 5952, “We have 24 colleges designated as aerospace colleges; eleven of those are participants in the AIR Washington grant. Last year, system-wide, we granted nearly 6,000 degrees and certificates in 20 different aerospace-related fields… We appreciate your support…”

 

Others testifying in support include Larry Brown, Aerospace Machinists and SBCTC board member; Larry Cluphf, Edmonds Community College WATR Center; Carol Weigand, Spokane Community College; and Alex Pietsch, Governor’s Office for Aerospace.

 

Link to testimony (beginning at 1:49:23).

 

Student Legislative Academy

Nov. 8-9 marked the annual Student Legislative Academy, where students from community and technical colleges across the state descend on Olympia to learn how to navigate the legislative process and set to work crafting an advocacy plan for their legislative agenda. Student priorities for the 2014 legislative session include funding and financial aid for undocumented students.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, kicked off the two-day event with a legislative overview, along with Alison Grazzini Smith, SBCTC legislative director. Students also heard from industry panelists including Ricardo Sanchez, Latino Educational Achievement Project; Emily Murphy, OneAmerica; Marc Webster and Rachelle Sharpe, WA Student Achievement Council; Nick Lutes, SBCTC; John Boesenberg, SBCTC; and Karen Strickland, WA American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

Dr. Amy Morrison Goings, Lake Washington Institute of Technology president, shared successful advocacy strategies for meeting with legislators.

Tom Campbell, Green River Community College trustee, informed students about the important role of trustees and the collaborative approach necessary to advocate for the community and technical college system. Kim Tanaka, Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges administrator, also addressed students about the trustee confirmation process, how to engage trustees in outreach, and the importance of attending local board meetings.

During the busy special session, legislators stopped by to discuss the state of higher education and answer students’ questions. Representatives Ross Hunter, D-Bellevue; Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor; Hans Zeiger, R-Puyallup; Chris Reykdal, D-Tumwater; and Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island shared their views and brainstormed ways students can make their voices heard come January.

Link to additional materials.

Upcoming activities

With the special session over, the House and Senate will shift gears and focus on Committee Days scheduled for November 21-22 in Olympia. An annual event, all House and Senate committees hold work sessions on various topics that may lead to legislation during the regular legislative session beginning January 13.

Future editions

Legislative News will be published periodically as system-wide legislative activities and impacting community and technical colleges occur. It will be published multiple times each week during the start of the regular legislative session.

Higher education hits the road, CTCs highlighted

Higher education was back in the spotlight last week as committees met to discuss issues impacting colleges and students – access, affordability, workforce needs, and economic demand. The CTC system was well represented by presidents, trustees, faculty, students, and staff, who demonstrated how CTCs create tomorrow’s workforce through academic excellence. Below are highlights from last week’s higher education meetings.

Joint Higher Education Task Force meeting

Created in 2012 under House Bill 2483, the Joint Higher Education Task Force is comprised of five legislators and is responsible for evaluating the work of the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC).

Gene Sharratt, WSAC executive director, provided a status update on the Ten-Year Roadmap for Washington’s higher education system. The final Roadmap is due to the Legislature in December 2013.

WSAC councilmembers also presenting were Karen Lee, Ray Lawton, Paul Francis, and Rai Nauman Mumtaz.

Link to committee materials.

House Higher Ed hits the road

Chair Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, took the House Higher Education Committee on a tour of several colleges and universities in Eastern Washington. CTCs included were Walla Walla, Columbia Basin, and Yakima Valley. Presidents, trustees, faculty, students, and staff presented and participated in committee hearings, tours, and meetings illustrating the important role CTCs play in providing high-quality postsecondary education.

Walla Walla Community College: September 18

On Wednesday, September 18, legislators spent the day in Walla Walla learning how innovative local partnerships contribute to student success, retention and completion in the CTC system. Conversation also focused on higher education’s partnership with industry to help close skill gaps in the workforce.

David Prince, SBCTC research director, presented statewide findings on student completion and retention rates. Through the CTC performance funding mechanism -- the Student Achievement Initiative -- student success has grown and remained steady over recent years. In addition, data shows students succeed at an even higher level when they have access to financial aid (e.g. the State Need Grant).

Link to presentation.

Steve VanAusdle, Walla Walla Community College president, illustrated how higher education is meeting industry needs and boosting the state’s economy. President VanAusdle shared how creating jobs, increasing wages and balancing today’s societal challenges leads to economic prosperity for future generations. He also noted that investing in CTCs leads to job growth, a more skilled workforce, and healthier local economies. 

Link to presentation.

Also presenting: Josh Wyner, The Aspen Institute; Wendy Samitore, Walla Walla Community College; Kristi Wellington-Baker, Walla Walla Community College; Clare Carson, Whitman College; Sarah Swager, Central Washington University; Bill Clemens, Pacific Power/Eastern Washington Workforce Development Council; and Dr. Joe Small, Walla Walla Community College.

 

Columbia Basin College: September 19

Legislators visited the Health Sciences Center in Richland, WA on Thursday, September 19, to hear how higher education is aligning with K-12 and responding to the evolving needs of the health care industry.

Bill Moore, SBCTC Core to College director, Jim Brady, Spokane Falls Community College faculty, and others discussed how K-12 and CTCs are partnering on the Smarter Balanced assessment test and the Common Core State Standards. Faculty and staff across the state are working to create a seamless transition for college-bound high school students, especially in the area of math.

Link to presentation.

Edward Esparza, SBCTC policy associate, updated the committee on implementation of 2SSB 5624 – creating applied baccalaureate STEM degrees in alignment with K-12. Under the bill, passed during the 2013 legislative session, SBCTC was allocated $500,000 in one-time funding to create two BAS degree programs tied to STEM fields. After an internal request for proposal process, five CTCs were selected: Bellevue, Cascadia, Green River, Olympic, and Renton Technical.

Mary Hoerner, Columbia Basin College nursing director, led a presentation describing how CTCs contribute to a robust medical workforce. Hoerner demonstrated that the medical field is as diverse as the student population Columbia Basin serves – from registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants and others, CTCs are creating multiple pathways that result in living wage jobs.

Link to presentation.

Rich Cummins, Columbia Basin College president, provided a tour of the Health Sciences Center to demonstrate how students apply classroom knowledge in a hands-on learning environment.

Also presenting: Jesse Nelson, Central Washington University; Melissa Pettey, Spokane Public Schools; Eleni Papadakis, Workforce Training and Coordinating Board; Kristen Fox, Kadlec Health System; John Roll, Washington State University; Keith Watson, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences; Christina Nyirati, Heritage University; and Linda Dale, Heritage University.

Yakima Valley Community College: September 20

The final day of the tour landed legislators at Yakima Valley Community College where panelists provided an update on diversity and service to underrepresented students in Washington’s higher education system.

Linda Kaminski, Yakima Valley Community College president, discussed student demographics and college resources that lead to student success including access to in-demand programs, advising, and financial aid.

Tomas Ybarra, Yakima Valley Community College vice president of instruction and student services, along with Elizabeth DeVilleneuve and Matthew Loeser both YVCC faculty, provided an overview of how YVCC is serving underrepresented students. Using data and ongoing student feedback, college services are continually evolving to meet students’ needs. More underrepresented students are enrolling in college, including in high-demand STEM fields, thanks to partnerships with local educational service districts, CTC advising services, student clubs and online learning.

Link to presentations.

Also presenting: Randy Spaulding, WSAC; Sheila Edwards Lange, University of Washington; Enrique Morales, University of Washington; Marc Robinson, Washington State University; Olivia Gutierrez, Heritage University; Miriam Bocchetti, College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP); and John Swiney, Central Washington University.

Upcoming activities

The House and Senate will hold committee assembly November 21 – 22 in Olympia. Committee assembly days is an annual event where all House and Senate committees hold work sessions on various topics that may lead to legislation in the upcoming session.

Future editions

Legislative News will be published periodically during the legislative interim as system-wide legislative activities and other events impacting community and technical colleges occur.