The research described in this paper expands on attempts to conceptualize, measure, and evaluate the degree to which states have aligned their finance systems with their respective accountability policies. State education finance and accountability policies serve as levers to provide equal educational opportunities for all students--scholars have…

In 2015, legislation to improve access to dual-credit programs and to reduce disparities in access and completion--particularly for low income and underrepresented students--was enacted. The new law focused on expanding access to College in the High School but acknowledged issues in other dual-credit programs and reinforced the notion that cost…

This report describes the process for implementing the policy goals and recommendations of the 2008 Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education. The report provides analysis and strategies to guide the development of the state's higher education system over the next decade and beyond. The strategies follow from four basic priorities: (1) Preserve…

This report presents the deliberations of the Northwest Regional Advisory Committee (NW RAC), one of 10 RACs established under the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 to assess the educational needs of the region. The Northwest RAC accepted its charge to identify educational needs and to make recommendations, working collaboratively as…

Reviews the first two years of implementation of Chapter 2 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act in Washington state, examining political and economic background factors, state responses to block grant authority, and local implementation. Concludes that the state adapted well and quickly to the shift in federal policy. (PGD)

A profile of Washington is presented, which examines trends in the state's economy, environment, population, and educational system. A contradiction exists between the state's beautiful scenery and well-educated population and its high crime and suicide rates. The state is characterized by a highly educated work force, a less diversified economy,…

The special report reviews Washington's 1965 Apportionment Formula, which authorized the superintendent of public instruction to develop a weighting factor that would provide additional state funds for costs resulting from the operation of small districts judged by the state board of education as "remote and necessary." Actions on the…

A comprehensive investigation was conducted of the impact of the financial reductions that occurred during the 1979-81 and 1981-83 bienniums on the Washington state community college system. Data were obtained for fall quarters 1979 and 1982 to determine if there were significant differences between variables encompassing employee staffing levels,…

Selected information is displayed in the form of charts, tables, and graphs about: (1) the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) program and other state-level student financial assistance programs; (2) the primary state agency or organization responsible for administering these programs; and (3) the general state characteristics relating to student…

This background paper provides updated information on the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board's comprehensive master plan for improving postsecondary enrollment. The plan stresses (1) increased enrollment levels at the four-year institutions to reach full capacity by 2005; (2) increased community college enrollments to reflect…

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POPULATION CHANGES IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON WERE ANALYZED TO DETERMINE RELATIONSHIPS TO AND INFLUENCES UPON PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL TRENDS, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO PHYSICAL FACILITIES, CURRICULUMS, STAFF, FINANCES, AND ADMINISTRATION. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, THE STATE WAS GROUPED INTO LOGICAL AND…

An exemplary $20,000 study, funded by the Washington state legislature in 1985, permitted nine small rural farm-oriented school districts in Whitman County to determine the need for and possible options of collaboration and cooperation. The study embodied major components that could serve as a model for similar planning efforts. The study was…

Members of the faculty and administration at Western Washington University (WWU) were surveyed in 1978 in an effort to discover trends that could affect the university by the year 2000. The response rate was 32 percent for faculty and 49 percent for administrators. The first section of the survey concerns general trends: economic (inflation,…