2023 Legislative Advocacy Season

And…we’re back! After we worked partially remote over the last three years, the 2023 legislative session in Olympia was filled with 105 days of reconnections. It was great to collaborate with educators, business leaders, and community members across the state, producing investments and legislation that center Washington students of color, rural students, students experiencing poverty, and girls.
 

Legislative Priorities and Outcomes

Washington STEM brought together a broad set of partners across the state to champion policies that are equitable and feasible in a legislative cycle. In 2023, we focused on three policy priorities: Early Learning System Improvements, Applying Dual Credit, and the transition from High School to Postsecondary, also known as Career Pathways.

Early Learning

Early Learning sparks curiosity and provides foundational math and science literacy before kindergarten to give students the best start possible in school and life. Our vision is that every young child develops a positive math identity, participates in high-quality early STEM learning, and has access to the best early learning environments possible.

Priority: Support the equitable implementation of the Fair Start for Kids Act through improvements to agency measurement and transparency. Support community efforts for increased investments to develop the early childcare workforce.

Outcomes:

• Secured Early Learning Data Visualization Proviso. Funding allocated to the Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF) in partnership to produce public-facing regionalized data dashboards and reports. These will measure changes in equitable access resulting from programs and grants administered by DCYF. Check out current dashboards here.
• Passed SB 5225. Increasing Access to the Working Connections Childcare Program: More families across the state will have access to childcare subsidies including immigrant families, child care employees, and those participating in therapeutic courts.

K-12

A strong K-12 STEM experience is a critical component to ensuring young Washingtonians are informed and thriving global citizens equipped for multiple viable career pathways of their choosing. Dual credit is a key lever we can push in order to ensure Washington students are career- and future-ready and it is vital that all students, particularly those who have historically been excluded, have access to these opportunities. Dual credit options can come in the form of a course itself or by earning a passing score on an exam.

Priotity: Increase equitable completion and application of dual credit by bridging the gaps between K-12 and higher education systems.

Outcomes:

• Passed SB 5048: Eliminating fees for College in the High School. More students across Washington will have increased access to and be able to apply completed College in the High School dual credit by removing course fees, which have been a cost barrier for students.
• Passed HB 1316: Expanding access to dual credit programs. Running Start Students can earn up to 10 credits during the summer term increasing access and retention to dual credit.
• Funded CTE Dual Credit Pilot. Funding allocated to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) for a pilot program to increase career and technical education dual credit participation and credential attainment in professional technical programs.

Career Pathways

A robust cross-sector career pathways system is key to preparing students for the most in-demand, high-paying careers in our state. Washington STEM has formed research-practice partnerships with schools and systems-level partners throughout the state to create a scalable approach to assessing and creating a plan for improving postsecondary readiness for all students.

Our research and that of our partners indicate that 90% of high schoolers in Washington State aspire to pursue some type of postsecondary education, that is, education beyond high school in the form of a 2- or 4-year degree, apprenticeship, or certificate opportunity.

Priority: Improve the utility of postsecondary- and career-readiness strategies and tools through evidence and community voice.

Outcomes:

• Passed SB 5243. Directs OSPI to select and implement a statewide, online High School and Beyond Platform (HSBP) used by districts, students, and families as a critical tool in changing patterns and creating well-lit pathways to postsecondary.
  • Advocating for implementation of HSPB digital statewide platform. Washington STEM successfully advocated alongside partners for the inclusion of existing community and regional network partners in the analysis, selection and implementation of a digital statewide platform. There are many best practices already being implemented around HSBP, and there are meaningful, trusted regional partnerships between districts, educators, industry, students and families who have worked to improve usage and efficacy that are deeply aligned with this bill. They include: connecting students with employers, scaling best practices in regions and supporting districts, and involving parents and families in understanding and utilizing the HSBP as a tool for postsecondary planning.
• Advocated for investments in Career Connect Washington. Increased funding allocated to regional CCW Networks and Intermediaries bring together education, community, and business partners to expose and prepare students for exciting careers in high-demand industries in which STEM fuels innovation, economic mobility, and job growth.

Network Partners Map

Washington STEM partners with 10 regional Networks and the Village STREAM Network to develop programs and goals specific to local communities. To learn what region serves your local community, check the regional map below.
 

To learn more about what each regional STEM Network partner is doing to ensure all children have access to the transformational possibilities that STEM skills and education beyond high school can provide, check out the impact stories a little further down.

2023 Advocacy Season in pictures