The Mastery-Based Learning Collaborative (MBLC) is a demonstration project taking place in 47 schools across Washington to help decision makers understand what quality mastery-based (or competency-based) learning looks like, how long it takes to implement, and what resources are necessary. The schools receive funding, coaching, and professional…

Lack of adequate access to capital is a major barrier for rural entrepreneurs. Washington State University Extension and the Association of Washington Cities partnered to explore and test an innovative local investment approach that provides access to capital and engages the community in the success of individual businesses. The approach offers…

An integrated data system (IDS) that links information from separate administrative data systems offers policymakers, program administrators and researchers a powerful tool to analyze interactive effects across systems and make more informed decisions to improve outcomes for vulnerable families. This case study discusses how two states (Washington…

In 2001, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the multi-year, multi-million dollar Washington State Achievers Scholarship program. Concerned about disparities in college participation for low-income students in the state of Washington versus their wealthier peers, the Gates Foundation partnered with the College Success Foundation…

Extended learning opportunities (ELOs) provide safe, structured learning environments for students outside the traditional school day. ELOs include afterschool and summer learning programs as well as before-school, evening, and weekend programs. ELOs come in many forms and can include tutoring, volunteering, academic support, community service,…

In September 2007, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) officially launched the Student Achievement Initiative, a system-wide policy to reward colleges for improvements in student achievement. Developed by a task force comprised of State Board members, college trustees, presidents, and faculty representatives,…

Response to intervention (RTI) can be both a system for providing early interventions to struggling students and a special education diagnostic tool for evaluating and identifying students with specific learning disabilities. Contributing to the very limited literature on state-level approaches, this report describes how nine states define and…

The Louis W. and Maud Hill Family Foundation is engaged in a productivity program to assist private colleges in its eight state service region (Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) in controlling escalating costs while maintaining educational quality. The Hill Foundation's effectiveness could…

The first of a two-part evaluation of correspondence studies in the State of Washington was concerned with opinion, descriptions, and recommendations of faculty at four state institutions on (1) how the faculty member is affected personally, (2) how students are affected, and (3) program improvement. Interviews collected data from 100 faculty…

Through its Public Involvement and Education (PIE) Model Projects Fund, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority has helped local organizations provide education and public involvement programs that help solve local environmental problems. This catalog describes 96 projects successful in addressing the issue of water quality. The projects are…

This first of two volumes reporting a study of employment and training programs for adult felony offenders addresses three study objectives. They are to recommend (1) ways of more effectively coordinating training and employment programs for offenders; (2) methods for program planning, funding, and evaluating; and (3) methods for providing…

The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine the current evening/adult education administrative practices in community colleges in Washington State as perceived by the presidents, the deans of instruction, and the directors of evening/adult education; (2) to analyze selected administrative relationships between the full time day programs and…

This report of the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board provides a review of tuition and fee waiver programs submitted by each state university, regional university, state college, and the community college system; and presents recommendations for the continuation, modification, or termination of these programs. The review…

The nine articles of this special section focus on the role of evaluation in the reform of the mental health system in Washington. The reform process is described from its inception through its design to the dissemination and utilization of evaluation results. The final article considers implications for statewide evaluations. (SLD)

All of Washington's 22 tech prep consortium directors responded to a 1994 survey examining selected aspects of tech prep planning/implementation. Ten of Washington's 22 consortia reported having tech prep students (only 1 of 15 consortia in 1992-93), and secondary student enrollment in tech prep programs totaled 2,203 (170 in 1992-93). All 19…