SEATTLE — The Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board got an earful when it traveled the state asking citizens what needs to be fixed about the way Washington educates people after high school.
Ann Daley, executive director of the board, said people at six public forums were passionately opinionated on a variety of topics, such as college being too expensive and a disconnect between available jobs and the number of enrollment slots for learning the skills to do those jobs.
She says that explains why the board’s draft 10-year strategic plan for Washington higher education is so ambitious. The draft plan was released Wednesday before discussion at today’s board meeting. The plan is due to the Legislature and the governor by mid-December.
The board’s previous strategic plans focused more on expected demand for college placement and the money to pay for higher enrollment. This plan takes a more philosophical approach because the Legislature asked for a 10-year plan instead of the usual two- to four-year look ahead. But it does include some of the same demographic projections.
The report predicts that by 2020, Washington will need 296,000 slots at state universities and colleges, an increase of 61,500 full-time equivalent student slots. That translates into adding slightly more than 2 percent capacity per year.
By 2030, nearly 40 percent of the K-12 population will be minority students and most will come from low-income families.
Daley said the report can be broken down to two main themes: the state needs to provide more post-high school education opportunities and it needs to make sure higher education intersects with the economic needs of Washington.
The 67-page report includes the following ideas:
n Keep growing the state’s higher education system to teach more students. Since 1996, Washington’s public education system has grown by 23 percent, but the report says it needs to keep going because the student population is expected to continue to grow.
n Make more room for nontraditional students, such as adults returning to college.
n Provide education where and when people need it. Provide the support people need — such as child care — to enable nontraditional students to attend college.
n Mentor low-income and minority students toward college. Washington ranks 32nd nationally in the percentage of low-income students who continue their education past high school, the report said.
n Expand opportunities for early college work, such as Advanced Placement classes and the Running Start program.
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