The Prosperity Partnership Higher Education Working Group Proposal

A reminder of what the Prosperity Partnership proposes to address our region's need for additional graduates in high demand fields, to view the entire proposal click here:

  1. Fund current capacity in high demand, high impact bachelor's and associate's fields in 2007 - approximately $90 million biennially.
  2. Study capital needs beyond current capacity, for reporting to Legislature in 2008 session and action in supplemental budget (included in $90 million figure).
  3. Develop and implement a marketing pilot project to inform students, parents, and educators of opportunities in high demand fields and the relevance of math and science to these fields and motivate students to take these classes (included in $90 million figure).
  4. Provide more financial aid to encourage students to pursue degrees in high demand, high impact fields (included in $90 million figure)
  5. Fund FTEs at actual cost of institutions - approximately $15,000 per year for high demand degrees (included in $90 million figure).
  6. Adopt accountability standards and outcomes-based management of higher education - i.e. pay for degrees and enter into agreements with the institutions to produce them, don't just pay for a year of instruction.
  7. Commit to/codify sustainable level of general fund budget for higher education investment - general fund funding of higher education has slipped over time.

Prosperity Partnership E-Newsletter
January 30, 2007

Governor's Budget Supports Prosperity Partnership Higher Education Priorities

Governor Gregoire's proposed 2007-2009 biennial budget makes higher education a top priority. The Governor proposes an almost unprecedented investment in higher education and takes a major step toward the goals of the Prosperity Partnership.

The Governor's budget supports the Prosperity Partnership's goal to fill existing capacity in high demand fields. For the four-year schools, the Governor's proposed funding for 1,500 high demand enrollments in public colleges and universities, just shy of the Prosperity Partnership's goal of funding for 1,555 high demand enrollments in public schools and 1,034 in our private/independent schools.

In the associate's degree fields, the Governor's budget exceeds Prosperity's goal. The Governor's proposed budget includes funding for 2,150 enrollments in our community and technical colleges; Prosperity's proposal is 1,133 high demand enrollments.

Overall the Prosperity Partnership proposed 3,722 steady state enrollments in our two year and four year systems; whereas Governor Gregoire's budget proposed 3,649 enrollments in slightly different fields.

The Prosperity Partnership applauds the Governor for her leadership and commitment to higher education. The challenge will now be to keep the focus on increased investment in our higher education system, with a particular emphasis on the high demand fields in which jobs are being created.

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High-Demand Degrees
Comparing Employment Security Department job projections with current production in our four-year system, Prosperity Partnership's Higher Education Working Group has identified high-demand fields in which to focus growth in bachelor's and associate's degree production:

Bachelor's Degrees

  • Computer Specialists (mostly computer scientists)
  • Engineers
  • Life Scientists (biochemists, biophysicists, etc.)
  • Medical Researchers
  • Nurses
  • Secondary Teachers

    Associate's Degrees

  • Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners (RN's, radiation therapists, respiratory therapists)
  • Life Science Technicians (biological technicians chemistry technicians and environmental science technicians)

    The Governor's budget supplies capacity throughout the entire higher education system and is an important first step toward filling existing capacity in high-demand fields this session. To achieve the Prosperity Partnership's longer-term goals of an additional 8,000 bachelor's degrees by 2010 and 10,000 by 2020, we believe that it is important to fund a capital study to develop a plan that will ensure capacity will exist for an increasing number of students. Also, a public awareness campaign to educate teachers, parents and students about the opportunities that exist in high-demand and high-impact fields is important to ensure a sufficient pipeline of prepared students will enter these high-demand and high-impact fields.

    For more information about the proposal or to find out how you can help support this effort, please contact Angela Kerwin at (206) 587-5061 or akerwin@psrc.org.

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    Save the Date - Snohomish County Prosperity Partnership Roundtable Field Meeting

    The first Prosperity Partnership Roundtable Field Meeting will take place in Snohomish County on Friday, March 16, 2007. Building from the success of the 2006 Eastern Washington Tour , the Roundtable Field Meetings will take place quarterly - one in each county - and are designed to both highlight important economic development efforts in the Puget Sound region and provide an opportunity for Partners to interact with business and government leaders and each other.

    The Snohomish field meeting will highlight aspects of the region's aerospace and life sciences clusters. The cost to attend is $30 and includes lunch.

    When: Friday, March 16 from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Contact: Eric Schinfeld at (206) 587-5063 or eschinfeld@psrc.org
    Register: PDF Form

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