SEATTLE - Congress has abandoned plans for two free years of community college in its expansive spending bill. But low and middle income families in Washington state still have an option to make college more affordable.

Lawmakers approved the Washington College Grant in 2019. Michael Meotti, executive director of the Washington Student Achievement Council, called it one of the most generous financial aid programs in the country.

"If you are eligible for the full award amount," said Meotti, "it happens to equal tuition and fees at any public college or university - whether it's the University of Washington, Washington State University or a community college."

Students from a family of four that makes $56,000 a year or less are eligible for the full award. Partial awards are available for families making up to $102,000 a year.

The grant is available to undocumented students as well.

Meotti noteed the grant doesn't just cover public university and community college tuitions. It also covers participating technical colleges, apprenticeships and short-term higher education programs.

"All of those programs are covered under our Washington College Grant," said Meotti, "and it doesn't make any difference whether you just got out of high school or that you're 40 or 50 or 30 or anything. You're going to be covered and we can make those pathways affordable for your to advance in your personal life goals."

Members of Congress from Washington State, including Sen. Patty Murray - D-Wash. - and Rep. Pramila Jayapal - D-Seattle - have pushed for even more ambitious plans than the measure included in President Joe Biden's budget plan.

But Meotti said even Biden's proposal to make the first two years of community college free would most likely allow the state to cover other costs for students, such as child-care, transportation and housing.

"We would be able to be an extremely generous environment for those families to know they're not only getting free college," said Meotti, "they're getting support for these other life expenses while they're completing a degree."

Washington state students who graduated in 2019 owed an average of about $24,600 in debt, according to the Institute for College Access and Success.

As Connecticut's school year begins, the state is still dealing with a teacher shortage.

Almost every subject area is facing a statewide shortage and it is uncertain when school districts might see some relief. A new survey showed 97% of educators list burnout as a top concern since they have had to contend with growing class sizes and wearing many hats.

Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, said the results are a telling sign of the strain teachers face.

"We need every educator," Dias stressed. "We don't produce enough educators in our education prep programs to support the retirement and so we need every educator to stay. And so, [we're] really digging in and trying to figure out how do we look at the role's responsibility and figure out how to make this job more manageable."

Surveyed educators reported considering early retirement or leaving teaching altogether. One-third said they will leave the field in the next five years. They said better pay is the best way to address the issues, aligning salaries to reflect the level of education it takes to be a teacher. Among those surveyed, 40% reported having second jobs to cover the cost of living and to save money.

State lawmakers passed a bill to establish a standards board to review the procedure for hiring, retention and certification of teachers. The board's first report is slated to come out in January.

Amy Dowell, executive director of Education Reform Now CT, said the state's overreliance on the Practice Two exam is a barrier to teacher certification.

"It tends to be a barrier to entry for candidates who are looking to become educators who have successfully completed their educator preparation program," Dowell explained. "They have challenges completing some of these standardized tests to become educators."

She added standardized exams do not always predict how a person will perform in the classroom. While studies have echoed her sentiment, some argued licensure tests provide feedback on the quality of teacher preparation programs and their test performance could be more indicative of a person's skills in the classroom.


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Indigenous populations have long faced barriers in pursuing higher education and Minnesota's new free college tuition program could help put some of these dreams within reach.

This fall, the state launched its North Star Promise initiative, where households earning below $80,000 qualify for free tuition at state colleges and universities. Experts said limited scholarships are one of the many obstacles Native Americans encounter in the world of higher education.

Anna Sheppard, president of White Earth Tribal and Community College, does not sense the new program will lead to a big enrollment boost but for students receiving aid, it could take their college journey to greater heights.

"What I really appreciate is that they're not going to have to graduate having debt," Sheppard emphasized. "Maybe they're going to pursue a master's or doctoral, so then they don't have to worry about that."

She noted juggling student loans and other college debt often limits Indigenous populations from obtaining advanced degrees. Research from the Postsecondary National Policy Institute shows that between 2010 and 2020, there was an 18% decrease in graduate enrollment among Native Americans.

At White Earth, Sheppard noted the possibility of more students from tribal areas means they could be learning about in-demand careers and technology, such as solar energy.

"On top of that, we do have a solar array on campus, so they get to see one that's actually an operation," Sheppard explained. "Right now, that powers our extension-customized education building."

She suggested the solar classes they provide, including learning how to install panels, put the students in a better position after graduation with more projects coming on board in Minnesota. Industry leaders said they are having a harder time filling jobs, increasingly offering good pay and benefits.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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Some North Dakota community colleges and technical schools have had success when it comes to student enrollment but they have not been able to avoid challenges seen nationwide in hiring enough faculty.

The National Education Association said across the U.S., the number of faculty at two-year institutions declined 5% in the past decade, with two in three community colleges seeing declines averaging 17%.

Lisa Karch, executive vice president of academic affairs at the North Dakota State College of Science, said they have had ups and downs with staff retention, noting there were a few unfilled openings to start this academic year. She argued it is vital to have enough instructors to keep specialized class sizes smaller.

"For our labs, it really comes down to a safety issue," Karch pointed out. "Whether it's a welding lab or a diesel lab or HVAC or plumbing."

She stressed they have accelerated efforts to have succession planning with more faculty retirements expected in the near future. The school also launched a new program where existing staff get additional training support on innovation related to their course material, making their professional development demands less of a burden.

Bismarck State College, which offers a mix of two-year and four-year degree options, reports difficulty in competing with the private market.

Dan Leingang, vice president of academic affairs at the school, said certain faculty are being wooed by job opportunities too hard to pass up.

"What we're seeing is a salary differential," Leingang observed. "Especially in highly technical fields, where the industry is paying very strong wages because of the demand."

Public schools have a harder time matching such offers. But Leingang added they are taking advantage of higher enrollment numbers and reinvesting the revenue into faculty salaries and bonuses. Like the State College of Science, they are also leaning on industry leaders within the region to serve as part-time faculty to help fill gaps and ensure students get a comprehensive learning experience.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.