The Blog

Governor Chris Gregoire

03/10/11

Washington state must improve university graduation rates. The jobs that will fuel our growth out of this recession and into the 21st Century will require college degrees and a skilled workforce.

Today’s structure isn’t working: We’re doing our university students a disservice.  At our six public state universities, on average just 41 percent of first-time, full-time freshman graduate in four years. That means six out of every 10 of these freshmen don’t graduate or take more than four years to graduate. In a global marketplace full of competition that is not helpful for our students, businesses or residents.

A Department of Education will help: A single Department of Education would help more students arrive at universities ready to learn—and graduate. Today K-12 and higher education operate in distinct silos, under separate authorities and don’t smoothly transition students from one learning environment to the other. The department would unite these silos into one, seamless education system, which would better prepare our students for school and life.

Within a Department of Education, universities would articulate the level of preparation needed and high schools would know the level of preparation expected. The Secretary of Education would hold each accountable to these standards and goals and, in turn, be held accountable for the success of students as they learn and transition within the system.

A unified department would help deliver solutions strategically, uniformly and systemically—not in well intentioned but uncoordinated bursts. As more students complete their education more efficiently, parents and students could save money and time and the state could better achieve its goal to provide the education our families deserve and the workforce our businesses require.

For more information about Senate Bill 5639 or Governor Gregoire’s other proposals to reform education, please contact her office.