February 9, 2007, Ed. 5 |
Produced by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges |
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This Week in Legislative
Next week in Legislative Increasing access to higher education Lots of two-year college faculty bills Implementing a strategic direction for higher education
Legislative Hotline Hearing Impaired Washington State TDD Relay Service Legislature’s Web site Governor’s Web site TVW Web site
Legislative News is published weekly during legislative sessions by the staff of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 1300 Quince Street SE, PO Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495, telephone 360-704-4310, FAX 360-704-4415. Suzy Ames, editor
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Opportunity Grants moving forward On Monday the House Higher Education Committee heard House Bill 1096, which would create postsecondary opportunity programs at two-year colleges. Rep. Phyllis Kenney, D-Seattle, sponsored the bill to build on the success of the current 10 pilot opportunity grant programs. The bill would allow low-income students to earn up to 45 credits in a job training program that’s in demand in a particular region. The grants would cover tuition, books and depending on need, some additional financial support. Students would receive career exploration and mentoring through local Workforce Development Councils. Two-year colleges and private career colleges would be eligible to offer the grant. “This is a program that will help meet the workforce skills gap,” Kenney said. “It will involve the community, business and labor for a very successful program.” Kim Justice, of the State Poverty Action Network, praised the bill as a way to help low-income adults. “One of the most important tools for families to lift themselves out of poverty is higher education, yet this is a dream so far out of reach for many trying to meet their day-to-day needs,” she said. Michael Itti, of the League of Education Voters, tied Opportunity Grants to raising the economic status of Washingtonians. “In today’s economy, young adults need at least one year of higher education. That’s the tipping point between dead end jobs and living wage jobs,” he said. Edmonds Community College student José Tello explained the role Opportunity Grants has had on his progress in the pharmaceutical technician program. “The Opportunity Grant pilot program is making such a great difference in my life,” he said. “This is the chance I was looking for. …It gives me the chance to focus on my studies and my family.” Clover Park Technical College President John Walstrum described the successes his college is seeing after the first quarter offering a pilot program. The college is serving a diverse population, providing a wide range of financial support, and linking the students with the business community through internships and mentors. Amber Carter, representing the Association of Washington Business, echoed the successes businesses are seeing from the Opportunity Grant pilot program. “We see that the students in the Opportunity Grant fields tend to be further along in their coursework and therefore closer to entering the job market,” she said. Also testifying in support of the bill were Troy Hudson, Washington State Hospital Association; Madeline Thompson, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board; and Chris Reykdal, SBCTC. HB 1096 was passed out of the committee on Monday and was sent to the House Appropriations Committee. Job Skills Program expansion considered Wednesday, the Senate Economic Development, Trade & Management Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5743, which would enhance and expand the current Job Skills Program. Sponsor and chair of the committee Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, introduced the bill as a way to build on the work already done to help train current workers and serve more businesses that asked for assistance after state funds ran out. “We left many corporations, companies and small businesses with a deficiency to make them globally competitive,” Kastama said. Chancellor of the Community Colleges of Spokane Gary Livingston spoke in favor of the bill and shared the significant work already done under the current Job Skills Program in Spokane. “We’ve seen significant growth in the interest of these kinds of dollars,” Livingston said. “Even with the dollars we have spent, we’ve turned many businesses away and we have a waiting list.” He assured the committee that the two-year colleges in Spokane could double or triple the new dollars invested by the state. Rich Hadley, of the Spokane Regional Chamber/Economic Development Council, reinforced the need for an enhanced Job Skills Program in Spokane to bring and keep businesses in that community. Jim McLaughlin, president of Lower Columbia College, shared how this program has already helped southwest Washington businesses become more prosperous. “We’re trying to provide the training solution to help our businesses grow, compete and stay viable,” McLaughlin said. Carolyn Cummins, policy associate at the SBCTC, described many positive outcomes that have resulted from the program. “These are highly customized training programs for businesses that are facing a variety of economic opportunities and threats,” she said. Cummins described the comprehensive review process of each business application in response to Sen. Jim Clements, R-Selah, asking about assurances that businesses aren’t taking advantage of multiple state-funded economic development tools. “Applications are reviewed by a customer advisory committee, which is made up of business, labor and education. Those members raise flags where they see duplication and opportunity to get more out of every state dollar invested,” Cummins said. Also testifying in support of the bill were: John Vicklund, Washington Manufacturing Services; Wes Pruitt, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board; and Dave Johnson, Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council. Implementing the Washington Learns higher education recommendations The House Higher Education Committee held a hearing on Thursday to hear public testimony on House Bill 1882, implementing the Washington Learns higher education recommendations. The bill includes five of the six higher education recommendations covering tuition and financial aid as included in Governor Gregoire’s omnibus Washington Learns bill (House Bill 1641). These recommendations include a statewide policy of capping tuition increases at 7 percent per year, and develops a state goal that total per student funding levels (state appropriations plus tuition and fees) are at least the 60th percentile of total per student funding at similar institutions in the eight Global Challenge States as identified by Washington Learns. In addition, two new scholarships would be created. The Washington Learns Scholarship would help low-income or first-generation college students attend public institutions, by covering the cost of tuition, books and fees minus any state and institutional aid received. The GET Ready for Math and Science Scholarship is designed for students excelling in math or science and who commit to work in their field of study in Washington for three years upon graduating. The bill also states the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges will develop the Regional Opportunity Grant Program to provide funding for low-income students – covering the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies for up to 45 quarter credits – for education and training for regional high demand fields. Lastly, State Need Grant eligibility would be expanded by a reduction in the minimum enrollment from six to three credits. It also reduces the enrollment requirement from six to three credits for students to qualify for a new loan that will be administered locally. Sponsor Rep. Deb Wallace, D-Vancouver, said the bill represents a special moment in time, as education has risen as the top priority for both the governor and the Legislature. “More people need to be educated at higher levels,” she said. “This is a work in progress … but it is going in the right direction.” Deb Merle, Gov. Gregoire’s higher education policy analyst, said the bill outlines the policies behind the priorities of the governor and the state. “We have already picked the low-hanging fruit and we now have to dig in to spread education opportunities to a broader base of our population,” she said. “This was the basis for access and affordability in this bill.” Merle briefly addressed concerns regarding the Global Challenge States and the governor’s stance that funding higher education must not rest on the backs of students. She also made it clear that the governor would reject any attempt to place timelines on how long students could take advantage of part-time eligibility for the State Need Grant. Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, and Rep. Jim McIntire, D-Seattle, both expressed their concern over creating a law that benchmarks funding based on Global Challenge States. Rep. McIntire was also concerned about the effect tuition caps might have on institutional quality during tough economic times. Merle said the Global Challenge States were the proxy for measuring Washington’s competitiveness with other countries (which would have been the preferred method by the governor) and that the Office of Financial Management would be directed to review the Global Challenge State indicators every five years. Vice President of the League of Education Voters and Bellevue Community College Trustee Steve Miller testified in support of what he considered three critical pieces addressed in the bill – affordability, access and benchmarking. He spoke of the need to make tuition predictable and affordable for students, and commended the governor for freezing tuition at the two-year colleges and providing the funding to backfill what would have been collected from a tuition increase. He told the committee if they did not support this funding, along with the tuition freeze, they would be essentially cutting the budget for the two-year colleges. Terry Teale, executive director of the Council of Presidents, spoke in favor of the bill and the effort to balance and provide a predictable financing structure of tuition, financial aid and state support. In addition, she said the elevation of the math and science focus complemented the collaborative work between the K-12 and higher education sectors through the Transition Math Project to prepare high school students with what they need to know to be successful in college-level math. Sandra Schroeder, president of the Washington American Federation of Teachers, and Ruth Windhover, higher education chair for the Washington Education Association, both spoke in favor of the bill and urged the committee to recognize faculty salaries as they consider benchmark funding by the Global Challenge States. “A world class educational system cannot be achieved without world class faculty,” said Windhover. Madeline Thompson, higher education policy analyst for the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, also spoke in favor of the bill and cited a recent report by the Workforce Board that identified financial barriers as the number one reason students do not complete their education. She said the Regional Opportunity Grant program and expansion of the State Need Grant would greatly assist low-income adults’ access to higher education and ability to find good paying jobs. SBCTC Operating Budget Director Deborah Frazier testified in support of the bill on behalf of the two-year college system and said the bill directly aligns with the State Board’s goals for affordability and access for students. “There are terrific things in this bill,” she said, echoing the testimony of those speaking before her regarding the expansion of the State Need Grant to students taking three credits, Regional Opportunity Grants, the GET Ready for Math and Science scholarship, Washington Learns scholarship and limited tuition increases. Rep. Wallace asked why the two-year college system requested freezing tuition, rather than accepting a small increase and additional state funding. Frazier explained the State Board wanted to make a clear statement about the need to thoroughly examine the effects of tuition increases on two-year college students in order to craft a tuition policy for the future. Lastly, she expressed appreciation for steps toward predictable funding for colleges, but urged the committee to consider the difficulty with benchmarking funding to other states. She explained that other states may prioritize educational programs differently or employ different strategies for maintaining their global competitiveness. Additional supporting testimony was heard from Sherry Berkey, Western Washington University; Randy Hodgins, University of Washington; Ann Anderson, Central Washington University; Jennifer Wallace, Evergreen State College; Larry Ganders, Washington State University; Bill Grinstein, chair of the Higher Education Coordinating Board; Chris Reigelsperger, representing the WSU Associated Student Lobby; Sara Singleton, representing the United Faculty of Washington; and Greg Scheiderer, director of government and public relations for the Independent Colleges of Washington. Workforce agencies explored The House Higher Education Committee held a work session and a public hearing Wednesday to explore the ways workforce development councils (WDCs) are furthering the state’s economic development. Gerald Pumphrey, president of South Puget Sound Community College, described the ways he’s seen Washington take advantage of strong collaboration between two-year colleges, economic development councils, WDCs and key industries. The WDCs operate with federal funds to foster business growth by identifying training and workforce needs. Pumphrey said colleges and WDCs have been successful working together to identify and launch high demand education programs in key industries to close the gaps between supplies and demands of skilled workers. The high demand programs are selected in key industries that have identified job openings for the future graduates, many of whom are workers retraining for a new industry. “If we had a better way of providing on-going training immediately following their return to the workforce we may have better alignment,” Pumphrey said. Jim McLaughlin, president of Lower Columbia College, also described the ways two-year colleges work with WDCs to promote economic development in local communities. Lower Columbia College was successful in securing a national grant to be a part of a prestigious national network of community colleges in the Advanced Technology Education Center. The center is helping the college find ways to keep the pulp and paper industry robust in the country. McLaughlin said the local WDC was critical in helping to secure the national grant by convening a skills panel to explore the needs of the industry and the gaps in worker training. Ron LaFayette, president of North Seattle Community College, spoke of his long history in higher education and his observations of improvements in collaboration with WDCs. “In spite of some real challenges at the time, [WDC’s have] become an extremely important, workable and effective entity in our state for people to get good employment, to improve their employability and upgrade their skills and function effectively,” LaFayette said. Also speaking at the work session about the role of WDCs were: Lisa Nisenfeld, Southwest Washington WDC; Kris Stadelman, WDC of Seattle-King County; Bob Brown, Westport Shipyard; and Tony Lee, Solid Ground. On the same topic, the committee heard testimony on House Bill 1880, which would create three new pilot programs at WDCs to serve as the lead regional workforce development planning organizations within their regions. Jim Crabbe, SBCTC director of workforce education, testified in support of the bill. “I think the workforce development system, and the integration and the collaboration going on in our collective system is better than it’s ever been,” Crabbe said. “The collaboration, while very effective and well thought out, could always get better. We can always get better with the degree of coordination and leveraging of resources.” Also speaking in support of the bill were: Don Bennett, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board; John Aultman, New Market Skills Center; and Tim Probst, Washington Workforce Association. Passport to College Promise heard in fiscal committee The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on Monday to hear Proposed Substitute House Bill 1131, creating the Passport to College Promise program. (HB 1131 was heard previously in both the House and Senate Higher Education Committee – for write up, visit the January 26th Legislative News article on passport to college. The Passport to College Promise program provides outreach and information to foster youth about opportunities for higher education, including financial aid options. In addition, the program provides scholarships covering tuition and living expenses, and provides financial incentives to higher education institutions that enroll and retain eligible former foster youth. Major changes proposed in the substitute bill include reducing the age of eligibility and starting age for outreach efforts from 15 to 14, and allowing scholarship recipients to attend non-public higher education institutions. Sponsor Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, said he was compelled to sponsor the bill when he learned how few foster youth enter or successfully complete higher education. Hollis Hill, chair of the advocacy committee at Treehouse, testified in support of the bill and explained how important early outreach efforts are to youth who lack family support. “Early educational planning works,” she said. “And the wrap-around services [such as advising and financial assistance] in higher education are critical to address the vulnerabilities these students possess.” SBCTC Director of Administrative Services Chris Reykdal also testified in support of the bill on behalf of the two-year college system. He stated the ongoing problems of not adequately addressing the educational needs of foster youth call for new and innovative strategies – beyond a passive open door to higher education. “A passive open door means the door is open…if you can find us,” he said. “These folks need a lot more…they need a reach.” Reykdal explained the key to the program’s success lies within the partnership between higher education and private organizations that work with foster youth, such as Treehouse. “It calls on that partnership to reach in and go find these kids … and send them a notice every six months that says, ‘Stay on track, because you’re on your way to college and it’s paid for.’” he said. “That’s the kind of innovation our board is interested in.” Betty Gebhardt, senior associate director of student financial assistance for the Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Greg Scheiderer, director of government and public relations for the Independent Colleges of Washington, spoke in favor of the proposed changes to the original bill, and said it brings the bill in alignment with federal, state and institutional regulations. Hearing Highlights: Collective bargaining bill heard The Senate Labor, Commerce, Research & Development Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5662 on Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by committee chair Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, would allow a new group of higher education employees to be covered by collective bargaining. Sandra Schroeder, of American Federation of Teachers, spoke on behalf of a coalition of unions including Washington Public Employees Association, Washington Federation of State Employees, Washington Education Association and the Service Employees International Union. “We are completely united in our desire to extend collective bargaining to as many employees as we can,” Schroeder said. John Boesenberg, human resources director for the SBCTC, shared concerns about the bill with the committee. “We’re not opposed to our employees seeking representation, but we have serious concerns about the bill,” Boesenberg said. His questions addressed a variety of issues such as the reason for singling out higher education from the rest of state government, whether student employees would fall under this bill, and whether exempt employees would be placed into existing bargaining units. Testifying in support of the bill were Susanne Recordon and Sarah Laslett, both continuing education coordinators at the University of Washington. Testifying with concerns about the bill were Terry Teale, Council of Presidents; and Larry Ganders, Washington State University. Providing answers to technical questions were Cathy Callahan and Ken Lautsch, Public Employee Relations Commission; and Leslie Liddle, Public Employees Commission. Similar testimony was heard in the House Commerce and Labor Committee as they considered House Bill 1399, sponsored by Rep. Steve Conway, D-Tacoma. Rep. Conway expressed his hope that the parties would meet to get answers to the questions and refine the language. Creating a statewide mentoring program for students The Senate Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on Wednesday regarding Senate Bill 5476, creating a mentoring program for students in grades eight through 12. Sponsored by Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, the bill would expand the Western Washington University Retention Project, which utilizes service-learning as a strategy to improve the retention of first-generation college students and the academic advancement of disadvantaged high school students. The bill would create a network of regional partnerships through the Washington Campus Compact (WACC). WACC would provide support for the mentoring program, training for the partnerships and develop assessment mechanisms to measure the impact of the program. Jennifer Dorr, WACC executive director, spoke in favor of the bill, saying that the program leverages both state and federal resources and would provide mentors for about 2,500 students statewide. Spokane Falls Community College President and WACC Executive Board Member Mark Palek said there was wide support for the program from both public and private two- and four-year colleges across the state. “This is the way to transform a campus and promote the higher purpose of higher education,” he said. Palek spoke about local efforts in Spokane to match CEO mentors with students excelling in the areas of math, science and technology to expose them to the world of work. In addition, the two-year college runs a program to provide tutors for low-income students to prepare for the WASL. It is so valuable for students to participate in the community through public service, he said. Additional supporting testimony was given by Michaelann Jundt from the University of Washington, and Jonathan Mead, a student at Seattle University. Creating the GET Ready for Math and Science Scholarship On Wednesday, the Senate Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5555, creating the GET Ready for Math and Science Scholarship program. Conditional scholarships covering the cost of resident undergraduate tuition and fees would be available to students who achieve level four on the math or science WASL; major in mathematics, science or a related field; and commit to working in mathematics, science or a related field for at least three years in Washington following the completion of their bachelor’s degree. Sponsor Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, said the thrust for the bill came from the Washington Learns recommendations. He said interest from both the public and private sectors to “grow our own” math and science graduates has been building for some time. “This is an idea whose time has come,” he said. Bob Craves, chair and CEO of the College Success Foundation, testified in support of the bill and spoke of his experience as chair of the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) and the need to expand student access to higher education. He said the GET Ready for Math and Science program would identify prospective students through the WASL, making it a rewarding, not punitive experience. SBCTC Assistant Director for Education Services Loretta Seppanen spoke in favor of the bill, saying it offered an important incentive to increase the number of students completing bachelor’s degrees in math, science, engineering and related fields. She said there are currently more than 1,000 students a year transferring from the two-year colleges to university programs in math, science and engineering, and that some of them scored at level four on the math WASL. And of those students, nearly 2/3 of them transfer to either the University of Washington or Washington State University. “Math, science and engineering transfer works due to the coordinated efforts of the public and private institutions in Washington,” she said. “We have an Associate in Science degree that works statewide as the right path for students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree.” Cindy Morana, assistant director of the Council of Presidents, and John Klacik, HECB director of student financial assistance, both testified in support of the bill and asked the committee to allow the HECB to develop the criteria for eligibility, and rules regarding deferment. Currently, the HECB oversees four other conditional scholarships for teaching and health professions serving approximately 1,000 students. This program would add approximately 500 additional students, Klacik said. Additional supporting testimony was given by Deb Merle, Gov. Gregoire’s higher education policy advisor, and Sue Pollack, from the College Success Foundation. Skills panels discussed Tuesday, the Senate Economic Development, Trade and Management Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5256, which creates a grant program for industry skill panels. Sponsor Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, introduced the bill by stating it is another way to align workforce and economic development. Pam Lund, associate director of the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, provided an overview of what industry skill panels do and how they dovetail into a continuum of services provided by workforce partners. Barbara Hins-Turner, director of the Center of Excellence for Energy at Centralia College testified in favor of the bill. She said that Washington is leading the nation in developing skill standards for industry and we have only scratched the surface on delivering skill standards to education through the linkage between industry skill panels and Centers of Excellence. Bob Gunther of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 77 and Pat McCarty of Tacoma Power, both representing the energy industry, also testified in support of the bill. Additional testimony in support of the bill came from John Loyle, of Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council; Dave Klick, Northwest Food Processors Association; Dale Harper of Franciscan Health System; and David D’Hondt of Absher Construction. Providing offenders the opportunity for education and training On Wednesday, the House Human Services Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1874 sponsored by Rep. Mary Helen Roberts, D-Edmonds. The bill changes several areas of law to assist offenders who are released from correctional facilities to successfully transition into the community while maintaining public safety. Rep. Roberts stated that additional education and job specific training really make a difference in inmates’ lives when they leave prison and help promote safer communities. Harold Clarke, secretary of the Department of Corrections, said the department is committed to furthering public safety by preparing offenders for effective re-entry into communities across the state of Washington. In addition, he mentioned that the governor’s proposed budget supports the department’s re-entry initiative and invests in evidenced-based programs to improve public safety. Greg Provenzano, representing Columbia Legal Services, testified in favor of changes made in the bill to improve educational programming for prisoners. “The research shows educational programming will reduce recidivism, and despite this evidence, funding for these services has not kept pace with the growth in prison populations,” he said. “As a result, many prisoners are unable to receive the education they need to succeed when released in our communities. We’re hoping this bill will turn that trend around.” Sandra Schroeder, president of the Washington American Federation of Teachers, thanked Rep. Roberts for promoting positive changes in correctional education and for giving faculty a voice in the process by including them as advisors to the task force created by the bill. Improving math and science education The House and Senate heard companion bills this week that would improve math and science education in the K-12 system. On Monday, the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee heard Senate Bill 5813, sponsored by Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell. On Thursday, the House Education Committee studied the same issue in a work session on House Bill 1906, sponsored by Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina. The bills, which cover the main sections from the governor’s omnibus education bill, would: create an after-school math support program with community-based organizations, would create a math and science instructional coach demonstration project; direct an independent review of the math and science learning standards; require the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to identify three math and science curricula for elementary, junior high and high school; direct the State Board of Education to identify conditions under which school districts will be required to use the curricula; and create two new alternative routes to teacher certification for math and science teachers. One of the new alternative routes to teacher certification is a pipeline for paraeducators with at least three years of classroom experience but without a college degree. The other route would help current teachers and those not employed as teachers but who have an elementary teaching certificate to gain additional math and science teaching skills. Leslie Heizer Newquist, director of the Center of Excellence for Careers in Education and Project Teach at Green River Community College, testified in the Senate that the community and technical colleges are well positioned to provide this pipeline for paraeducators. “The strengths of the system include the close connection of colleges and their local school districts where paraeducators work, their connection to universities that offer the alternative routes in teacher education, and the smooth transfer afforded through the associate in math education degree,” Heizer Newquist said. “That associate degree assures that students have the courses needed to enter a math education major and have completed the lower division general education courses accepted in the bachelor’s degree,” she said. Loretta Seppanen, SBCTC assistant director for educational services, provided testimony in the House to support the pipeline for paraeducators. “The two-year colleges are ready to provide the associate degree required in this bill. This degree will allow paraeducators access to a whole sequence of math programs needed to be a math teacher and the liberal arts courses required for certification in any teaching area,” she said. “The colleges can provide training in the communities where the paraeducators are working. They are developing ways to make courses available around the time schedules of working paraeducators as they study to become math teachers in our state,” she said. At the House Education Committee hearing Thursday, Brian Jeffries, from the Transition Math Project (TMP), requested that the bill go further in recognizing college readiness standards. The TMP is a partnership of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Higher Education Coordinating Board, SBCTC, and the Council of Presidents. “Specifically, [TMP] would like to see language inserted into the bill that would require the review and proposed revision of math and science standards and graduation requirements by the State Board of Education to align to college readiness standards,” Jeffries said. Twenty representatives from educational entities testified about various sections of the bill.
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