Special session wrap-up

Protests marked the start of the 30-day special session which ended Wednesday (two weeks early) after the Legislature passed the early action supplemental budget (SHB 2058). 

The early action supplemental budget addressed $480 million of the $1.6 billion biennial shortfall.  The Legislature will address the remaining shortfall in the regular session which begins January 9.

Here is a summary of the provisions of the early action supplemental that impact our system: 

• The early action supplemental makes modest, mostly technical adjustments to higher education funding.  It does not include any general decrease to community and technical college budgets or to any other higher education institutions.  There are no changes to the State Need Grant or the Work Study Program.  There are no savings from additional furloughs or other employee compensation changes. 
• New funding is provided for M&O for community and technical college instructional space built using alternative financing.  This impacts Bellingham, Peninsula, Walla Walla, and Whatcom ($295,000 for the biennium)
• New funding of $1 million is provided for the Aerospace Training Student Loan Program.  To be eligible for a loan, a student must be enrolled in a course in the aerospace industry offered by the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center located at Paine Field in Everett, the Spokane Aerospace Technology Center, or Renton Technical College.
• The early action supplemental also corrects errors in M&O funding provided to community and technical colleges in the original 2011-13 budget.  This is a decrease of $1.1 million to system funding, but will not impact colleges’ funding because these funds were held in reserve by the State Board. 

The Governor must now take action on the bill.

The case for aerospace

As part of its Workforce Development Update, the House Labor and Workforce Development Committee heard from Dixie Simmons, SBCTC director of workforce education, and directors of three Washington State Centers of Excellence: Mary Kay Bredeson, Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing; Ann Avary, Marine Manufacturing & Technology Center of Excellence; and Dan Ferguson, Allied Health Center of Excellence. Each explained their center’s role in building a strong workforce.

Michael Greenwood, Boeing Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing & Quality Senior Manager, spoke about Boeing’s strong alliance with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, individual colleges, and the collaboration with the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Materials Manufacturing.

He suggested several actions vital to the continued success of the aviation workforce in coming years:

• Continue to invest in education and training programs to support the technical skill set required for the aerospace industry. 
• Connect academia with industry to define skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow and develop short-term training programs to ensure job seekers get into the workforce quickly.
• Encourage and invest in experiential learning through shop classes, vocational education, internships and apprenticeships.
• Engage all demographics, including students in our K-12 system, unemployed workers and veterans.
• Partnerships with K-12 education, higher education institutions, labor unions, government and industry have been, and will continue to be, an integral piece in our strategy for developing a strong pipeline of workers for aerospace and manufacturing jobs.

To hear the rest of Greenwood’s testimony on TVW, start at 08:25 on the timeline.

Education coordination entity

Leslie Goldstein, executive policy advisor of the Governor’s Executive Policy Office, shared a draft proposal to create an Office of Student Achievement with the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee.

The office would incorporate duties now performed by the HECB, the State Board of Education, and the Educational Research and Data Center.

To hear Goldstein’s testimony on TVW, start at 43:20 on the timeline.

Spotlight on Customized Training and Job Skills programs

On December 8, the Senate Economic Development, Trade & Innovations Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee held a joint work session on the Customized Training and Job Skills programs. 

Colleges and their business partners spoke on the benefits of having the opportunity to provide customized training to new or incumbent workers in specific skill areas.  There was some legislative interest in perhaps increasing the funds available for both programs, but particularly the Customized Training Program.  The members were made aware the Customized Training Program sunsets in June 2012 unless the legislature decides to continue the program. 

To watch the hearing on TVW start at 1:04:24 on the timeline.

Grant opportunities for STEM career courses

On Tuesday, the House Education Committee held a hearing on House Bill 2159 regarding grant opportunities for STEM career courses. The bill is part of the Governor's legislative package on aerospace.  Judy Hartmann, the Governor's executive policy advisor for K-12 education, said the bill builds on the good work being done between OSPI and the CTCs; builds on stackable certificates/credentials; and provides a competitive application process to ensure strong partnerships with industry in the local area.

Kathleen Lopp, OSPI, said the grant is a part of Superintendent Randy Dorn's budget request and OSPI's strategic plan and that it develops a pipeline for aerospace and manufacturing. The bill passed through the House and Senate and has been delivered to the Governor for her signature.

To watch the hearing on TVW start at 29:33 on the timeline.

SBCTC Legislative News will return for the regular session

Several bills and hot topics promise to hold our attention during the regular session: State Need Grant, efficiency, remediation, regulatory relief, aerospace, revenue package, and education system governance.

Legislative News is distributed via e-mail to State Board members, trustees, college presidents, college public information officers, and LISTSERV subscribers. Each edition is posted on the State Board Web site www.sbctc.edu under Legislative Session.

Subscribe or unsubscribe to SBCTC Legislative News LISTSERV at http://lists.ctc.edu/mailman/listinfo/sbctc_legislative_news

Contact Sherry Nelson, SBCTC Communications and Outreach Associate, at slnelson@sbctc.edu or call (360) 704-4308.

Legislative Notebook online

The online Legislative Notebook includes general legislative information, House and Senate member listings, committee lists, and more.

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