In 2013, the Washington Student Achievement Council proposed a statewide goal for educational attainment that called for 70 percent of the state's 25-44 year olds (i.e., early and mid-career residents) to have a postsecondary credential. The goal was adopted by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee. In 2019, the…

States and districts allocate hundreds of billions of dollars annually to fund K-12 schools, and this allocation is largely driven by one calculation: how states count student enrollment. They do this in one of five ways: (1) A single count on a single day; (2) Two counts twice per year; (3) Multiple counts over a period of time; (4) An attendance…

In 2019, the Washington Student Achievement Council adopted a Strategic Framework to better understand how state higher education policy contributes to campus and student success. The framework organizes the policy work into four areas deemed essential to achieve the 70 percent goal: (1) Affordability; (2) Enrollment; (3) Completion; and (4)…

Before the 2011-12 school year, eligible students in the 11th and 12th grades were funded by the state for a combined maximum of 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) in both high school and the Running Start program each year. In 2011, the Legislature established a limit to this funding for a combined maximum enrollment of 1.2 FTE over one school year.…

This report provides an analysis of barriers experienced by first-generation students attempting to enroll in a two-year college. This multi-strand, mixed methods action research used both quantitative correlation and qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the interaction between first-generation students and the two-year college. The…

This report provides an analysis of barriers experienced by first-generation students attempting to enroll in a two-year college. This multi-strand, mixed methods action research used both quantitative correlation and qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the interaction between first-generation students and the two-year college. The…

This report provides an analysis of barriers experienced by first-generation students attempting to enroll in a two-year college. This multi-strand, mixed methods action research used both quantitative correlation and qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the interaction between first-generation students and the two-year college. The…

This report provides an analysis of barriers experienced by first-generation students attempting to enroll in a two-year college. This multi-strand, mixed methods action research used both quantitative correlation and qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the interaction between first-generation students and the two-year college. The…

This report provides an analysis of barriers experienced by first-generation students attempting to enroll in a two-year college. This multi-strand, mixed methods action research used both quantitative correlation and qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the interaction between first-generation students and the two-year college. The…

This report provides an analysis of barriers experienced by first-generation students attempting to enroll in a two-year college. This multi-strand, mixed methods action research used both quantitative correlation and qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore the interaction between first-generation students and the two-year college. The…

Equity gaps in our society have existed and persisted over time. Recent events have further emphasized racial injustices in society. The disproportionate health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on people of color have exacerbated existing inequities, leading to renewed calls for social justice. The COVID-19 crisis is also shedding light…

This report provides a new resource for understanding the state of urban public schools in the U.S. Geared specifically toward city leaders who want to evaluate how well traditional district and charter schools are serving all their city's children and how their schools compare to those in other cities, the report measures outcomes for all public…

In the Shattering Expectations series, the reports focus on calling attention to gaps at the high end of achievement and shattering expectations about the achievement of our low-income students and students of color that have existed for far too long. Each report will provide examples of schools that are breaking long entrenched patterns and how…

This report on sex equity in mathematics and science education focuses primarily on the situation in Washington State schools. The report is divided into eight sections. Section I explains why the problem is an equity issue: Despite progress in other areas, girls continue to lag behind boys in enrollment and achievement in mathematics and science…

Changes in affirmative action policies in some states create possibilities for "natural experiments" to observe the effect of public policy on racial and ethnic inequality in American society. This study measured the impact of Initiative 200, a ballot measure that eliminated affirmative action in Washington State, on the transition from…