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Basic needs insecurity -- including housing and food insecurity, as well as lack of access to healthcare, childcare, transportation, and other basic needs -- is a critical barrier that can undermine persistence and completion rates for postsecondary students. The gaps in covering critical costs such as housing and food are pervasive among students in both two-year and four-year institutions, and they disproportionately impact certain groups of students. The Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness (SSEH) pilot program was launched in fiscal year 2019-20 to address basic needs insecurity among postsecondary students experiencing homelessness and those who were former foster youth. This first legislative report for the program was developed collaboratively. It provides state-level, cross-sector information about the students supported by SSEH, strategies employed by the institutions to serve them, institutional infrastructure changes made to strengthen access to the program, and participating institutions' collective reflections and recommendations. The aim is to provide important state-level insights across all institutions while highlighting some distinctions that may be unique between community and technical colleges and public baccalaureate institutions.

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has prepared this analysis in collaboration with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (Workforce Board), and the Association of Washington Business, as part of a broad educational needs assessment outlined in RCW 28B.77.080. The report has four primary purposes: (1) to assess how well the state's postsecondary education system is aligned with the demands of the labor market, (2) to identify key drivers of employer demand in the various occupational clusters, (3) to highlight industries and occupational fields in which students and adult learners may find expanding employment opportunities, and (4) to explore factors, such as the advance of workplace automation, which may be impacting the labor market. [This report was co-produced with Association of Washington Business (AWB).]

The Running Start Summer School Pilot program was established in 2020 by House Bill 2864 and enacted as Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 28A.630.600. To determine whether the summer term should be funded under the Running Start Program, a summer pilot was created to evaluate interest in and barriers to expanding the Running Start program to include the summer term. The pilot program was implemented at Skagit Valley College, South Puget Sound Community College, and Yakima Valley College in the summer of 2021, but was not funded for a second year. In the summer of 2022, Summer Running Start was made available at all community and technical colleges through a combination of state proviso and federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. While some recommendations draw from the experience of scaling Summer Running Start in 2022, the outcomes and data presented in this report are reflective of the 2021 pilot only. As required by the statute, the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) have collaborated on this report to document pilot highlights and provide recommendations for future consideration.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to enrollment in higher education. The overall shut down of the nation in March of 2020 forced colleges and universities to shift their content delivery primarily online, a context which continued for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. As the pandemic stretched on through the summer, many institutions remained mainly closed to in-person instruction and planned to begin the 2020-21 academic year in remote operations. The impact of these decisions on fall semester/quarter of 2020 enrollment was uncertain until preliminary census enrollment counts were gathered in late September/early October. This report: (1) Summarizes observations about enrollment patterns in the 2020-21 academic year both nationally and in Washington state; (2) Provides in depth analysis into the key components of enrollment challenges in fall quarter 2020 for the community and technical college (CTC) sector; and (3) Details possible opportunities for removing barriers to enroll more students and support those already in the midst of their studies.

The Student Achievement Initiative (SAI) is the guiding framework for the Washington state community and technical college system's goals for student success. SAI emphasizes student momentum for college success by both building college readiness (such as basic skills gains and completion of precollege education, sometimes known as developmental education) and earning college credits, including college math and English. SAI has been the performance-based funding (PBF) system for the community and technical colleges since 2006. The system underwent reviews in 2012 and 2016, following national experts' recommendations for continuous evaluation of PBF systems to ensure its overall goals and principles are being met and to incorporate best practices. In the 2016 review, new guiding principles were established that reflected a focus on college-level credit accrual leading to credential attainment and closing equity gaps for historically underserved students. The review included an analysis of student outcomes with the goal of identifying group differences and how revisions might aid student populations who are falling behind. Based on that analysis, the SAI framework was revised to emphasize success in transitioning from basic skills and precollege to college-level, college English/Communication attainment, and retention and completion for historically underserved students. These changes included additional weighting of the milestones for the first 15 college-level credits and degree and apprenticeship attainment, a new 6 credit transition milestone for basic education students, a de-emphasis on precollege course completion and a new emphasis on English/Communication college-level attainment. The 2016 revisions to the SAI milestones became effective as of the 2017-18 year. This paper is organized into three main sections. The first section provides a five-year summary of the key milestone areas from SAI 2.0 that influenced revisions for 3.0 and highlights colleges who have made the highest gains in each area. The second section analyzes the outcomes from the changes made in SAI 3.0 to focus on equity, henceforth referred to as "equity points." This analysis studies the number and proportion of equity points earned over a three-year time period and highlights the top five colleges who have made the most gains. The third section focuses on outcomes for the Basic Education for Adults population and again highlights colleges whose populations are making the most gains in college-level progression and earning the most equity points in the system.

Financial aid is an ever-growing topic of interest to researchers as well as policymakers in understanding the impact and relationship to student success. Aid comes in many forms, from merit-based or need-based scholarships and grants, loans, tuition waivers, and other. Federal and state aid programs alike are typically designed to assist students without the financial means to pay for college out of pocket. Concerns about the rising cost of education and increasing levels of student debt have led to much policy focus around how to increase the amount of grant aid for students and minimize debt after graduation. Washington state in particular has several financial aid programs that are designed to support low-income students' access to college, and in particular, those students with the largest barriers. Washington is poised to serve as a policy leader for need-based aid as part of the solution for education access and contribution to the workforce. With this visibility comes a new level of accountability for the colleges to assess where we are now and set up systems to track the effectiveness of the new investment in meeting the needs of students and our state. The purpose of this paper is to describe the historical patterns of financial aid and establish a baseline of where the community and technical college system stands in current day to aid in this evaluation. This paper seeks to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the most common financial aid categories? How many students receive the different types of aid each year, and what is the average amount awarded?; (2) Have the distributions of aid types changed over time?; (3) What are the demographic breakdowns within the largest federal and Washington-focused financial aid categories of Pell grant, Federal loans, State Need Grant/WA College Grant, Opportunity Grant, and the College Bound Scholarship?; (4) Have demographics within each aid type changed over time?; and (5) What are the completion rates for students within each aid type, four years after they receive aid? What kind of credential do they earn? How many quarters on average does it take to complete? The paper concludes with a summary of key findings as well as next steps for future research, in particular in light of the emerging impact of COVID-19 on the future for Washington students in higher education.

Overall, too few students are completing two-year college. Those who complete are still starting off unequally. About one-third of students earning academic degrees do not transfer, but rather go directly to work and find their degree has little value in the labor market. Research suggests they could have benefitted from having marketable skills added to their degree. This research report reviews prior research for two-year college students' post-college labor market outcomes. Evidence is presented from research that two-year college professional technical degrees offer the highest immediate earnings and strongest growth over time. Many graduates who go to work in lower-pay sectors like education and health and human services will need even more than the two-year degree. They will need a bachelor's degree. Guided Pathways, which started in Washington in 2016, is the context for this brief. Under the Guided Pathways framework, colleges re-design their degrees and offerings into structured pathways that align with students' goals for further education and careers.

Guided Pathways is a comprehensive reform model focused on student success by designing clear pathways for students, helping them to make informed decisions, and stay on their chosen path while striving to increase attainment in credentials with labor market value. The population of students that will provide colleges the best evidence of the effectiveness of their reform efforts are first-time ever in college (FTIC) students. Academic transfer and professional-technical pathways are the basis for two of three colleges' missions. Washington's colleges also have a third mission for Basic Education for Adults (BEdA). BEdA students on average are older than traditional age students and increasingly are an important population that the state will need to increase college access and success for. BEdA students who transition to college-level have been part of the first-time college cohort in earlier reports; however, their participation and results have not been disaggregated and reported separately. In this report the authors identify 10,915 basic education students who are included in an overall population of 105,720 first-time in college students who started between 2010 and 2013. This report asks and answers three important questions: (1) What is the highest educational attainment for BEdA students four years after starting in college-level courses? (2) What are the employment outcomes in their first year after leaving college for students who pursued a professional-technical pathway? and (3) What is the transfer rate to four-year college within two years after leaving college for students pursuing an academic transfer pathway to a bachelor's degree? The authors answer these questions for award-seeking students who participated in basic education anytime within a period two years before, or any time throughout the four-year period that are used to measure their college attainment. The authors call this extended period "Ever" basic education. Because IBEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) has become the major policy for transitioning basic education students to college, the authors distinguish between 3,901 "BEdA FTIC_Ever IBEST" and 7,014 "BEdA FTIC_Never IBEST" students. This report also looks at the population for 94,807 "FTIC_Never BEdA" students who started directly on their college path and comprise the largest component of our FTIC cohort during this time period.

College Preparatory Programs with Exams (CPPEs) include academically-rigorous high school classes that culminate in standardized exam-based assessments. Students take the classes as part of their high school schedule and apply them toward their graduation requirements, typically whether or not they take the exams at the end. Without the exam, students still apply the class grade to their high school GPA. However, taking the standardized exam may enable a student to apply the exam score for college credit for an identified comparable college course or a college-level elective (depending on the course and the score). CPPE programs include Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge International 'A' Levels (CLE). Because of the potential to apply these high school courses for college credit, they are an attractive option for many students and parents. The appeal of CPPE has many components -- they can equate to college credit and thereby save tuition costs or accelerate through prerequisites, they often carry additional weighting for high school GPAs, and are attractive to selective schools' admissions offices. It would appear that CPPEs would offer students from underserved populations an opportunity to get a 'head start' on college while at high school. However, CPPEs have not typically been consistently available to students from disadvantaged groups. The reasons for that are not clearly understood. Research suggests that access to CPPE in high schools may be affected by: (1) Variation in perception of demand for CPPE opportunities across schools serving different demographic groups; (2) Cost of programs and/or exams to students, although many states offer aid to economically disadvantaged students; (3) Implicit bias of districts, schools, and teachers in evaluating aptitude for CPPE, such as determining AP readiness by prior GPA; and (4) Lack of familiarity with or confidence to undertake CPPE courses by students, often reflect in parents' prior education. This report examines equity in CPPE throughout Washington state.

The State Need Grant (SNG) has been Washington state's largest need-based financial aid program for low-income students. The year 2007-08 was the last year in which it was funded sufficiently to serve nearly all (98 percent) of eligible students. From 2010-2018, up to 30 percent of eligible students were unserved. In 2013, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges first studied the differences in student persistence impacted by the unmet financial need between served and unserved students who enrolled in community and technical colleges in 2012. This research brief updates the first report for 36,600 SNG eligible students enrolled in 2018. The key findings are consistent with the first report in that served students have more of their total financial need met, therefore reducing hardship and subsequently resulting in higher fall-to-spring quarter retention compared to unserved students. [For "A Descriptive Study of Washington State Need Grant Eligible Students Enrolled in Community and Technical Colleges in 2011-12. Research Report," see ED608977.]

This research brief describes college attainment for students pursuing professional-technical education. Using a cohort of 36,700 first-time in college (FTIC) students who started college between 2010 and 2012, this analysis focuses on students whose goal in their final year was a professional-technical education. The cohort was given four years (twice the time to earn a two-year degree) to account for part-time status and stopping out. At the end of the four-year period, students are measured for their highest attainment. The analysis also looks at what happens to students after they leave college. 25,000 students in the cohort are measured for employment one year after leaving the college. These students are divided into "completers" (defined as having completed a certificate or an associate degree) and non-completers and track field of study and levels of attainment leading up to their post-college employment. Throughout the brief, the analyses are disaggregated by sex and race/ethnicity. Among the key findings are: (1) Completers are more likely to be employed and earn more than non-completers; (2) Employment prospects after college determined by the returns for full-time employment and earnings vary by program area. Historically underserved students of color (HU-SOC) are underrepresented among completers of higher labor market return programs and overrepresented in lower return programs; (3) Returns to associate degrees are higher than certificates. This is especially true for women; and (4) About 30 percent of students in the starting cohort earned an associate degree or certificate within four years. Another 10 percent have not earned any credentials within four years, but are still enrolled in the same or another college in a fifth-year snapshot. Almost 60 percent of all professional-technical students in our starting cohort exited with no credential after 4 years.

The Associate of Arts-Direct Transfer Articulation Agreement (AA-DTA) is the single largest transfer degree awarded by the community and technical (CTC) colleges. The traditional goal of this degree is completion of general education requirements in order to prepare for transfer to a four-year institution. However, a Guided Pathways framework suggests careful consideration of the student's eventual major and inserting electives with marketable skills into the degree to make distinct pathways and align programs into meta-majors. This brief is the first of three reports that review each of the community and technical college mission areas for increasing completions and closing equity gaps. It compares post-CTC college transfer rates of AA-DTA students to students in other major ready transfer degrees. It also looks at the post-CTC college employment outcomes for students who earn an AA-DTA degree but do not transfer. The brief discusses the implications of these outcomes for thinking about how to deploy the AA-DTA degree in a pathway framework to buttress degree completion, post-degree student success and close equity gaps. Finally, it looks at students through another student outcomes analysis lens, the Student Achievement Transfer Cohort. The Student Achievement Transfer Cohort includes a broader group of students than the first time in college students in the Guided Pathways cohort. The brief compares these students and how they are selected into each cohort to look at the spillover importance of Guided Pathways for student success.

The focus of this paper is a course that may be helpful to consider for its overall role in guiding students to degree completion: Introductory Psychology or Psychology 100. The reason for focusing on Introductory Psychology is its commonality in both the Associate of Arts Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA) degree and the Associate of Nursing Degree (ADN). The former is the largest degree that colleges award. The latter is the largest professional technical degree awarded and the third largest degree awarded overall. For the Psychology 100 courses, the researchers analyze the average grade decimal earned and the grade distribution. They also look at when students enroll in Psychology 100, both for total college credits earned along with it and quarter of students enrolled in the course. They begin the analysis with the AA-DTA. Students can transfer this degree to any public university in Washington State and begin with junior standing, with virtually all general education credits fulfilled. While AA-DTA graduates can transfer into a variety of disciplines, the large majority will pursue majors in arts and letters or the social sciences. The subjects are first-time in college students (FTIC). First they look backwards at students who earned their Bachelor's degree after having transferred with an AA-DTA. Next the researchers follow FTIC students as they start in community and technical colleges and progress towards their AA-DTA. These students are also the subject of the Guided Pathways Initiative. They disaggregate students who are awarded the degree and students who exit college with no award after four years. They also disaggregate the Guided Pathway cohort results by student's precollege English status. Often times completion of the highest level of precollege English or eligibility for English 101 are prerequisites for Psychology 100 in college course catalogs. Next the researchers extend their analysis by looking at another group- FTIC students interested in the ADN. They look at students who completed their two-year degree and program applicants who left college with no admission to the nursing program after four years. Finally, they conclude the paper with a discussion of the potential importance of Psychology 100 for helping students select and follow pathways, supporting them along the way and, in some cases, suggesting alternatives.

This report is based on the records of 23,470 students who earned a bachelor's degree as graduates of the Class of 2016. The study population includes all students who earned a degree from one of the six public baccalaureate institutions or from one of the 16 community and technical colleges that offer an applied bachelor's degree for whom transcript, demographic, and degree attainment data were available. The study excludes international students, students without enough identifiable data in their record to create a match to the CTC system, and students not found in the Mutual Research Transcript Exchange (MRTE+) who earned a degree. The study examines the graduating class of the public bachelor's degrees in 2015-16 (by gender, ethnicity, age, degree major, and institution type). Specifically, the study examines graduates in five parts: (1) By Campus Type -- What was the make-up of graduates at main campuses, additional research university campuses (additional RU Campuses), university centers and community and technical colleges? (2) By Transfer Status -- How many bachelor's degree graduates entered four-year colleges directly? How many transferred from a Washington CTC? How many came through other paths? (3) By Pre-college Enrollments -- What was the role of CTC pre-college English and math in preparing transfers and direct entry students to graduate with the bachelor's degree in 2016? (4) By Running Start Status -- What was the role of CTC Running Start in preparing transfers and direct entry students to graduate with the bachelor's degree in 2016? and (5) By Transfer Paths -- What were the different transfer pathways delineated by the type of two-year degree CTC students received? How do these different pathways contribute to different bachelor's degree majors? How well do CTC transfer students perform compared to direct entry students on total credits earned to complete their bachelor's degree and senior year GPAs?

Precollege courses, also known as "developmental" courses, help students prepare for introductory college courses, most often in math and English language arts (reading/writing). Most colleges use entrance exams, prior coursework, or other evaluations to determine whether students should start in a college level or precollege course for math and English. Some students are required to take several levels of precollege courses before they enroll in the respective college level course. This report provides a summary of precollege enrollment, participation rates, and first year outcomes for students enrolling in the Washington community and technical colleges. This report will focus on courses in precollege math and English. For simplicity, precollege courses in reading, writing, and coordinated reading/writing are referred to collectively as precollege English. Most precollege English enrollments are in writing or coordinated reading/writing.

The Opportunity Grant (OG) program is the Washington community and technical college system's dedicated financial aid program designed to help low-income students enroll in and complete programs leading to high-wage, high-demand careers. Washington's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program is a nationally recognized model for students pursuing professional-technical programs. It integrates literacy, work, and college-readiness skills so students can move through school and into living wage jobs as efficiently as possible. The primary goal of both the OG and I-BEST programs is to support students as they enroll in and efficiently and cost-effectively progress through programs leading to living wage jobs. Low-income, historically underserved students of color, and students with low academic readiness are the target populations to benefit from the programs. The following report is an evaluation of enrollments, demographics trends, completions, and employment outcomes for students participating in the OG, I-BEST, and both programs to answer the following questions: (1) What are the enrollment trends for students in each program, and how many participate in both?; (2) Who is accessing the programs? What are the demographics of students in each program and those who participate in both?; (3) What programs of study are students in each program enrolling in? What are the demographic trends in each program of study?; (4) What types of credentials do students who participate in the programs complete?; (5) What are students earning after they participate in the programs? Is there a difference by program of study and type of credential?; and (6) Is there is a difference in earnings for students before enrollment in college and after they leave, with or without a credential?

Washington's community and technical colleges (CTCs) play an important role in producing baccalaureate degree graduates in the state through the applied baccalaureate (AB) degree. The key policy goals of the AB degree in Washington state are to increase educational attainment for students and meet employer demand. Compared to the traditional university student population, community college students are more likely to be working adults with families, low-income, students of color, and place-bound to their geographic area. For many of these students, it is challenging to pursue a baccalaureate program without a four-year institution near home due to conflicting priorities of work and family. In this regard, having a baccalaureate degree program available at a local community college increases the educational attainment opportunity for students who might not be able to pursue one otherwise, thus supporting statewide goals of increased baccalaureate degree production. The AB degree also provides another educational step for students who have completed workforce-specific professional-technical certificates and associates degrees. Because they are designed to directly help students get jobs, professional-technical degree programs are also typically comprised of older, low-income, first generation, working adults and consequently fulfill a powerful role in increasing access to higher education for historically underserved populations at the community college level. The primary goal for each of these degrees is to match local employer needs with skilled workers to fill necessary gaps in the workforce. This study provides an annual update on program growth and completions and expands upon prior employment outcomes evaluations. It further investigates the role of prior work experience and industry change as a factor in earnings and job placement. Specifically, the following research questions are addressed: (1) What is the pattern of program growth? (2) What are the demographics of students in applied baccalaureate degree programs and how have they changed over time? (3) What are the degree completion outcomes for students by program? (4) What are the employment earnings outcomes for students following degree completion? Do the outcomes vary by program? and (5) For students who are employed prior to enrollment, do they return to the same industry following degree completion?

The purpose of this study is to answer key questions about the structure of certificates and their function in employability and degree attainment in the Washington State Community and Technical College (CTC) System. Specifically, this study addresses the following: (1) Do certificates play a role in helping students progress along career pathways over time? (2) What is the demographic profile of students by type of certificates? (3) How many and what types of certificates are being produced? and (4) What is the earning attainment by type of certificates? Two years of cohorts contained a total of 34,525 unduplicated students (13,880 in 2006-07 and 20,645 in 2011-12). Students were grouped into three distinct completion categories, those who earned degrees and certificates; those who only earned degrees; and those who only earned certificates. Student longitudinal transcript data was analyzed to see if there was a pattern of students moving in and out of the education system along career pathways. Findings suggest that students are not stacking credentials to move in and out of educational pathways. There is not enough guidance given and attention paid to getting community college students in a program and through the first year, even though students often enter college lacking clear goals. If there was better guidance and fewer choices students may move more easily toward degree completion. An increasing number of colleges are working to solve this problem with the creation of the Guided Pathways Initiative, based on three things. First, faculty are creating road maps, which provide students with a clear program sequence. Second, mechanisms are put in place to encourage students to develop clear educational goals. Third, advising and frequent feedback are embedded within the program. Early alerts ensure students are supported before things are too far out of hand (Jenkins & Cho, 2013). A bibliography is included.

Though it is still possible to enter the nursing profession with a Licensed Practical Nursing Certificate (LPN) or an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN), it is becoming increasingly necessary to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in order to be assured of continued employment. The Associate in Applied Science-T Nursing Degree prepares students to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This degree includes both nursing prerequisites and the nursing coursework (the Nursing Program). Historically, Washington State's two-year colleges have played a significant role for graduating well-prepared LPN and ADN for entry-level positions as well as providing opportunities for a progression to the BSN. Another pathway, the Associate in Pre-Nursing Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program provides prerequisite coursework to prepare students to apply to a BSN university program as a transfer student where they take their nursing coursework and earn a BSN before taking the NCLEX-RN. Most recently, the two-year and four-year colleges and the universities agreed upon a new nursing pathway specifically intended to meet the call for more BSN level nursing graduates. Finally, in addition to the above paths, at least two community colleges have begun to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees as options for their ADN to BSN pathways. The first part of this paper describes the award history for these programs over the past five years, the students who earn these awards and their post-graduation outcomes for employment and transfer. The second part of the paper looks at another important issue that is beginning to gain colleges' attention as they focus on increasing postsecondary attainment and completions through initiatives like Guided Pathways. Every year, nursing education attracts thousands of aspiring applicants. However, the program has limited and highly competitive acceptance. This paper explores: What is the attrition for aspiring students? and What are the implications for these students' college retention and completion?

Washington's Community and Technical Colleges (the colleges) serve 305,087 credit and 95,890 non-credit students. The colleges' service region, for the purpose of this report, consists of Washington State. This report assesses the impact of the colleges as a whole on the state economy and the benefits generated by the colleges for students, taxpayers, and society. The approach is twofold. The study begins with an economic impact analysis of the colleges on the Washington economy. To derive results, a specialized Multi-Regional Social Accounting Matrix (MR-SAM) model is used to calculate the added income created in the Washington economy as a result of increased consumer spending and the added knowledge, skills, and abilities of students. Results of the economic impact analysis are broken out according to the following impacts: (1) impact of the colleges' day-to-day operations; (2) impact of student spending; and (3) impact of alumni who are still employed in the Washington workforce. The second component of the study measures the benefits generated by the colleges for the following stakeholder groups: students, taxpayers, and society. For students, an investment analysis was performed to determine how the money spent by students on their education performs as an investment over time. The students' investment in this case consists of their out-of-pocket expenses and the opportunity cost of attending the colleges as opposed to working. In return for these investments, students receive a lifetime of higher earnings. For taxpayers, the study measures the benefits to state taxpayers in the form of increased tax revenues and public sector savings stemming from a reduced demand for social services. Finally, for society, the study assesses how the students' higher earnings and improved quality of life create benefits throughout Washington as a whole. The results of this study show that the colleges create a positive net impact on the state economy and generate a positive return on investment for students, taxpayers, and society. The following are appended: (1) Washington's Community and Technical Colleges; (2) Glossary of Terms; (3) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs); (4) Example of Sales versus Income; (5) Emsi MR-SAM; (6) Value per Credit Hour Equivalent and the Mincer Function; (7) Alternative Education Variable; (8) Overview of Investment Analysis Measures; (9) Shutdown Point and (10) Social Externalities. A list of resources and references is included.

In January 2012, a system-wide task force came together for a nearly year-long process of revising the community and technical college system's performance-based funding (PBF) system, the Student Achievement Initiative. This review was consistent with national experts' recommendations for continuous evaluation of PBF systems to ensure overall goals and principles are being met. Recommendations for adjustments to the achievement metrics and funding model were made to the president's commission (WACTC) in November 2012 and approved by the State Board in December 2012. Recommendations for change reflected a shift in both student success policy and fiscal policy to recognize both the growing national emphasis on the completion agenda, as well as the constrained resource environment caused by the Great Recession. The goal of this paper is to evaluate whether there appears to be positive movement in student achievement toward the policy goals which were the basis of the 2012 revision of the metrics and funding model. The following sections begin with a brief overview of the theory behind PBF and a background on the revision, followed by a system-level analysis of each of the key milestone areas addressed within the revision. The connection between increased performance and increased funding for colleges is also discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion and implications of an incentive-based allocation system with thoughts on future study. Appended are data tables showing: (1) Basic Skills Transition Rates by College; (2) Precollege English Progression and College Completion by College; (3) Precollege Math Progression and College Completion by College; (4) Completions by College; and (5) Funding Distributions 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Washington's community and technical colleges (CTCs) play an important role in producing baccalaureate degree graduates in the state. They expand opportunities for both graduates and employers, build upon professional-technical associate degrees, and provide a clear pathway for students who may be place bound or have difficulty finding a transfer opportunity for their associate degree. They also help address employers' need to successfully recruit qualified applicants who have both job-specific technical skills as well as the skills learned through a baccalaureate program. Applied baccalaureate degree programs are approved through the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to achieve the following policy goals: (1) Increase educational pathways for professional-technical associate graduates who have been limited in their ability to apply credits toward a bachelor degree. The workforce student population is comprised of a large portion of people of color, older working adults and people (primarily women) who are place bound with family responsibilities; (2) Meet state goals for increasing the total number of baccalaureate degrees awarded by public two-year and four-year institutions to 42,400 per year. To do this, the CTC system will need to increase the number of students who transfer to baccalaureate programs by 25 percent and increase the number of applied baccalaureate graduates to 1,400 by the year 2030; and (3) Expand the workforce mission of CTCs further to better serve the needs of local and state employers. This study is an evaluation of the CTC system's progress towards meeting the above three policy goals. [For a companion report, see ED573040.]

Gainful employment and earnings to support a family living are significant policy goals of the applied baccalaureate program. Therefore, employment is an important metric to study; however, there are limitations in the data and process used in past reports that make understanding the true impact of applied baccalaureate programs on an individuals' earnings difficult to discern. In past years this report has matched graduates with their employment outcomes two years (or seven quarters) following degree completion. The purpose of the 2 year lag was to give graduates time to find a job that was in alignment with their applied baccalaureate degree field, and therefore capture earnings growth at that level. In addition to the snapshot employment rate, graduates who were employed at the time of graduation were also evaluated for increases in median earnings seven quarters following their last quarter enrolled. The purpose of this analysis was to gauge growth in earnings as a function of earning the BAS degree. While the extended length of time and comparison to earlier earnings may potentially show gains more reflective of the applied baccalaureate degree, the paradox is the potential for movement and unknown variation that could impact the employment rate. The goal of this paper is to analyze the return on investment for students who go on to earn an applied baccalaureate degree as compared to a comparison group of graduates who have the same associate degree but no applied baccalaureate degree. An individual's characteristics that could impact their earnings outcomes above and beyond degree type are also taken into consideration in the analysis, as described in the literature review on the value-added from higher education summarized herein. [For the companion report, see ED573044.]

In 2013, the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) set a 10 year plan for improving the educational attainment of Washington residents. The Roadmap included two educational attainment goals for 2023: (1) All adults in Washington, ages 25-44, will have a high school diploma or equivalent; and (2) At least 70 percent of Washington adults, ages 25-44, will have a postsecondary credential. The Washington state Legislature passed a bill acknowledging these attainment goals during the 2014 session. The primary purpose of this report is to estimate what it will take for the state to reach the postsecondary attainment goal for 2023 and what share of the additional credential holders needed to reach this goal would be expected to come from Washington's community and technical college (CTC) system. The summary section of the report outlines a brief answer to this question; a more detailed description of the background assumptions and analysis to answer this question are provided in the subsequent sections of the report. It was noted during the analysis that the CTC system should also be expected to play a major role in the high school attainment goal, so a similar summary and analysis is provided for the high school attainment goal at the end of this report.

The world is changing rapidly. With changes in technology, demographics, and workforce trends, Washington needs colleges to not only keep pace, but lead the way. Washington's 34 community and technical colleges answer that call. The community and technical colleges have proven uniquely positioned to adapt to, embrace, and ignite change. Community and technical colleges build prosperity for all Washingtonians. This document briefly discusses how Washington community and technical colleges contribute to the following: (1) better jobs; (2) brighter futures; and (3) stronger Washington. A list of Washington community and technical colleges is included.

The "Academic Year Report 2013-14" provides a snapshot of funding, facilities, staffing, and enrollments in Washington's community and technical colleges for the past academic year. The report also describes key measures of student outcomes and addresses the most frequently asked questions related to expenditures, personnel, and students. Additional demographic information regarding community and technical college students is available in the AYR 2013-14's companion publication: Fall 2013 Enrollment and Staffing Report. The primary source of information for this document is the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' (SBCTC) Data Warehouse, which is derived from the common management information systems used by all community and technical colleges in the state. Appended are: (1) Full-Time Undergraduate Student Tuition and Fees; and (2) Definitions. [See ED565173 for "Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Enrollment and Staffing Report: Fall 2013."]

The "Fall Enrollment and Staffing Report 2014" provides a snapshot of enrollments in community and technical colleges during fall quarter 2014. The report addresses the questions most commonly raised regarding the community and technical colleges in Washington. The primary source of information for this document is the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' (SBCTC) data warehouse, which is derived from the common management information systems used by all community and technical colleges in the state. [for the 2013 report, see ED565173.]

This "Academic Year Report 2012-13" provides a snapshot of funding, facilities, staffing, and enrollments in community and technical colleges in Washington state for the past academic year. The report also describes key measures of student outcomes and addresses the most frequently asked questions related to expenditures, personnel and students. The primary source of information for this document is the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' (SBCTC) Data Warehouse, which is derived from the common management information systems used by all community and technical colleges in the state. The following are appended: (1) Full-Time Undergraduate Student Tuition and Fees; and (2) Definitions.

Community and technical colleges (CTCs) play an important role in producing baccalaureate degree graduates in Washington State. Baccalaureate degrees that build upon the professional-technical associate degree provide expanded opportunities for both graduates and employers by providing the upper-division coursework in an applied field. Programs developed at the CTCs provide a clear pathway for students who may be place-bound or have difficulty finding a transfer opportunity for their applied baccalaureate degree. The programs also help to address the gap found by some employers of successfully recruiting qualified applicants who have the job-specific technical skills as well as the skills learned through a baccalaureate program. In addition to recruiting new personnel, Bachelor of Applied Sciences (BAS) programs are beneficial to employees already working in a technical field who wish to be promoted to higher level management or specialized positions which may require a bachelor's degree. The Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges (SBCTC) advocated for CTC applied baccalaureate programs because it would help: (1) Meet state goals for increasing the total number of baccalaureate degrees awarded by 2019 to 42,400 per year. The community and technical college system will need to increase the number of students who transfer to a baccalaureate program, which includes increasing the number of applied baccalaureate programs at the CTCs; (2) Expand the workforce mission of CTCs to serve the needs of local and state employers; and (3) Increase educational pathways for professional-technical associate graduates who have been limited in their ability to apply credits toward a bachelor degree. The workforce student population is comprised of a large portion of people of color, older working adults, and people (primarily women) who are place-bound with family responsibilities. Applied baccalaureate programs originated from the 2005 Legislature passing E2SHB 1794, giving the State Board authority to select pilot programs at designated CTCs. Subsequently, the 2010 legislature passed Substitute House Bill 2655 giving the SBCTC authority to approve CTC applied baccalaureate degree programs. This removed the pilot status of the CTC applied baccalaureate programs. As of the conclusion of academic year 2012-13, seventeen programs in ten colleges have been approved for applied baccalaureate degrees, with students enrolled in ten programs in eight colleges (seven programs are in development). This report evaluates the outcomes of students in the programs, such as enrollments and demographics over time, completions, and employment outcomes for students who have graduated and entered the workforce following their program. The programs described in this paper include: (1) Bellevue College--Bachelor of Applied Science in Radiation and Imaging Sciences, 2007; Bachelor of Applied Arts in Interior Design, 2009; Bachelor of Applied Science in Health Care Technology and Management, 2011; (2) Centralia College--Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management, 2012; (3) Columbia Basin College--Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management, 2009; (4) Lake Washington Institute of Technology--Bachelor of Technology in Applied Design, 2009; (5) Olympic College--Bachelor of Science Nursing, 2007; (6) Peninsula College--Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management, 2007; (7) Seattle Central Community College--Bachelor of Applied Behavioral Science, 2009; and (8) South Seattle Community College--Bachelor of Applied Science in Hospitality Management, 2007. Key findings for enrollments and graduates through 2013 show programs are growing by reaching out to their local communities. Employment and earnings for first graduates demonstrate strong gains made even more significant by occurring in the midst of the recession.

The State Need Grant is Washington State's largest financial assistance program for low-income, needy, and disadvantaged residents attending institutions of higher education. It provides financial assistance to low-income residents attending an undergraduate institution in Washington. Currently, students with an income under 70 percent of the state's median family income (MFI) (currently $57,500 for a family of four) can receive a grant award that covers their tuition and fees. Community and Technical College (CTC) students make up the majority of students eligible for and served by the State Need Grant. This report describes two year CTC students eligible for and enrolled in CTCs in 2011-12. It compares eligible students who were served and not served for demographics, enrollment status, and college retention rates. Key findings include: (1) the percent of eligible students not receiving aid has risen substantially in the past five years as college enrollments swelled; (2) for students with similar characteristics and similar financial need, retention is significantly higher if eligible students receive a Need Grant; and (3) students who receive the Need Grant have significantly more of their financial needs met than eligible students who are not served. The difference in financial aid received and the corresponding difference in financial need that is met by aid is due almost entirely to receipt or non-receipt of the Need Grant.

The "Fall Enrollment and Staffing Report 2013" provides a snapshot of enrollments in community and technical colleges during fall quarter 2013. The report addresses the questions most commonly raised regarding the community and technical colleges in Washington. The primary source of information for this document is the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' (SBCTC) data warehouse, which is derived from the common management information systems used by all community and technical colleges in the state.

When the Legislature and Governor enacted House Bill 3103 in 2004, they intended to improve the quality of information available to help policymakers determine how well Washington's higher education system was meeting employer demand for skilled workers. This is the second joint report published by the three agencies in response to the 2004 statute; the first report was released in 2006. The report includes an updated analysis of the workforce supplied by higher education institutions in Washington, employer demand for higher education as measured by the number of projected job openings, and the match between supply and demand. This update also includes new detailed analysis of specific occupations within the following areas: engineering, health professions, and education. This report also serves as part of the state needs assessment process, which will include a forthcoming statewide and regional analysis of student, employer, and community demand for education and training at the baccalaureate level and above. It compares forecast employment openings through 2016 with the current output of students who have completed one year of college through post-baccalaureate education. It is important to note that this report is based on forecasts of economic trends existing prior to the current economic crisis. These long-term projections could be inaccurate if the recession and recovery periods unexpectedly last for an extended number of years or if the recession causes long-term structural changes in the state economy. Otherwise, we can expect these trends to hold, and for the supply gaps in high demand programs of study to continue to remain a problem for the Washington economy. Appended are: (1) High Demand Logic Model; (2) Common Definitions Relating to High Demand; and (3) Selected Recent Publications on Skill Demand and Supply Gaps in Washington. (Contains 2 tables, 15 figures and 25 footnotes.)

More than ever before, demographic changes in Washington combined with increasing workforce skill demands require an educated citizenry in the state. This paper describes a new initiative by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges aimed at measuring colleges and awarding funds to them for improvements in the significant steps students take towards higher achievement. The promising practices that emerge from these efforts are an important part of the initiative. How colleges use the information on campus and share it with each other will be vital to the strategies they employ. (Contains 4 "examples" in graph form.) [Additional support of the Student Achievement Initiative was provided by the College Spark Foundation.]

This report provides an overview of the Running Start program; data about student participation rates and academic performance; updates on savings to families, taxpayers and the state; and new information about national trends in dual-credit programs. Running Start is a program that allows 11th and 12th grade students to take college courses at Washington's 34 community and technical colleges, and at Washington State, Eastern Washington and Central Washington Universities, The Evergreen State College and Northwest Indian College. Students earn both high school and college credits for these courses. Running Start students and their families do not pay tuition, but they do buy their own books and provide their own transportation. Students receive both high school and college credit for these classes, thus accelerating their progress through the education system. Running Start reduces the amount of time students spend in school, and can reduce overall college costs for students and their families. Running Start continues to serve about 10 percent of the state's high school juniors and seniors. Running Start students perform well while they are in the program and upon transferring to universities. In 2005-06 Running Start students earned an average grade point of 3.12 after transferring to the University of Washington. Running Start students complete more of the credits they attempt, with better grades, than other recent high school graduates who are attending college. Serving 16,540 students in 2005-06, Running Start continues to be an excellent option for qualified juniors and seniors. Students and their parents strongly support the program because it expands their educational choices while reducing the time and expense of completing their education. Running Start continues to help students achieve high academic standards at a lower overall cost to their families and the state.

Community and technical colleges make their greatest contribution by growing a talented, skilled citizenry and creating opportunities for Washingtonians. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is setting this System Direction to align college system efforts with the current and future needs for strong communities and a vibrant economy. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges has developed three broad goals, centering around economic demand, student success, and innovation, to guide the system over the next ten years. Attention to these goals will provide two-year colleges with a framework for system innovations and development, pursuit and use of resources, and measuring progress.

This report represents one facet of a larger statewide higher education needs assessment that was produced by the HECB in October 2005, also in response to HB 3103. In contrast to the larger statewide assessment, which examines employer, community and student demands for education and training at the baccalaureate level and above, the following report compares employer demand to 2012 and the current output of students from one year of college through post-baccalaureate education. (Contains 13 endnotes, and 6 figures.)

Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) pairs English as a second language (ESL)/adult basic education (ABE) instructors and professional-technical instructors in the classroom to concurrently provide students with literacy education and workforce skills. In Spring 2004, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Offices for Adult Basic Education and Workforce Education (SBCTC) began 10 innovative demonstration I-BEST projects that tested traditional notions that students must first complete all levels of basic education before they can begin workforce training. All of the projects focused on ESL education. This research report provides an overview of the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) demonstration program in Washington State. I-BEST uses a co-instruction model that pairs ABE/ESL instructors and professional-technical instructors concurrently to provide students with literacy education and workforce skills. The report presents lessons learned and related research and illustrates how they can be applied to practice.