Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-17 Operating Budget Policy Level Request
Policy Level Request (Total)
N5 Basic Ed for Adults
N6 Expanding Student Achievement
N7 Employee Compensation
N8 Faculty Increments
N9 Expanding Opportunity Grant Program
O0 Increase Academic, Completion, & Career Planning Efforts
O1 Dedicated Funding for I-BEST
O2 Improve Success in Math
O3 Workforce Program Demand and Improvement
O4 Non-State M&O
O5 I-960 New Fees / Fee Increases (Revenue)
O6 YVVC Collective Bargaining Agreement
O7 Highline Collective Bargaining Agreement
2016
$78,548,000
2017
$98,088,000
2015-17
$176,636,000
$12,159,000
$28,823,000
$4,321,000
$3,400,000
$5,575,000
$8,976,000
$7,500,000
$5,032,000
$2,500,000
$262,000
$3,840,000
TBD
TBD
$25,464,000
$28,823,000
$6,991,000
$6,800,000
$5,575,000
$8,976,000
$7,500,000
$5,032,000
$2,500,000
$427,000
$4,260,000
TBD
TBD
$37,623,000
$57,646,000
$11,312,000
$10,200,000
$11,150,000
$17,952,000
$15,000,000
$10,064,000
$5,000,000
$689,000
$8,100,000
TBD
TBD
N5 - Strengthening Basic Education for Adults
The following decision package proposes to strengthen the system, providing basic education for adults
by establishing the mission area as a forecast caseload, with dedicated funding for students seeking this
level of education. Additionally, the request seeks to establish a policy goal of increasing the annual
average funding per full-time equivalent student annually until equal to the K12 basic education funding
level, beginning with a 15 percent increase in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. Finally the decision package
includes anticipated caseload growth resulting from the stabilization of the Basic Education system for
adults.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2014
FY 2015
Total
$12,159,000
$25,464,000
$37,623,000
N6 – Expand Student Achievement Initiative
In the 2014 legislative session, the Legislature passed ESSB 2626, establishing statewide educational
attainment goals: By 2023, all Washington adults between the ages of 25-44 will have a high school
diploma or equivalent and 70 percent will have a postsecondary credential. Increasing student retention
and completion rates are key to achieving these goals.
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) requests approximately $57.6 million to
expand SBCTC’s performance based funding system, known as the Student Achievement Initiative (SAI).
Key academic benchmarks have been identified that students must meet to successfully complete
degrees and certificates. SAI measures student progress in areas related to these benchmarks. SAI
rewards institutions for improvements related to student progress and degree/certificate completion or
transfer.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2014
FY 2015
Total
$28,823,000
$28,823,000
$57,646,000
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Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-17 Operating Budget Policy Level Request
N7 – Employee Compensation
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges requests approximately $11.3 million for
compensation adjustments for all exempt community and technical college staff. The amount
requested is based on the same percentage increase proposed in the 2015-17 collective bargaining
agreement between community college classified employees and the Governor’s Office. The proposed
increase is three percent in FY 2016 and 1.8 percent in FY 2017.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2014
FY 2015
Total
$4,321,000
$6,991,000
$11,312,000
N8 – Faculty Increments
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges requests $10.2 million for faculty increments. To
stay effective, full- and part-time faculty must continuously update their knowledge, skills, and abilities
to stay current with the latest innovations and advance their professional development. For such
efforts, a faculty member earns a salary step increase typically called an “increment”. However,
increments can be paid only if authorized by the Legislature. Increments for the 2015-17 biennium
would be funded through a combination of salary and benefit savings due to faculty turnover, plus the
amount noted in this request.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2014
FY 2015
Total
$3,400,000
$6,800,000
$10,200,000
N9 – Expand and Enhance Opportunity Grant Program
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) requests approximately $11.2 million to
expand the Opportunity Grant program by 600 full time equivalent students (FTES) and increase the per
FTES award amount. The Opportunity Grant program provides student support services and financial
assistance to low-income individuals pursuing an education in approved high-wage, high-demand career
pathways.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2016
$5,575,000
FY 2017
$5,575,000
Total
$11,150,000
O0 – Increase Academic, Completion, and Career Advising and Planning Efforts
This decision package proposes to strengthen the current efforts of academic, completion, and career
advising and planning in the community and technical college system. The SBCTC request would provide
funding for an average of four advising staff at each college along with support strategies that increase
first-year students’ academic and career preparedness. The requested funding would improve
persistence and momentum of students toward completion and entry into the workplace.
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Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-17 Operating Budget Policy Level Request
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2014
FY 2015
Total
$8,976,000
$8,976,000
$17,952,000
O1 – Dedicated Funding for Integrated Basic Education Skills Training (I-BEST)
Integrated Basic Education Skills Training (I-BEST) is a nationally recognized program designed to
combine basic education and workforce training into a single, articulated path to a workforce degree or
credential. The program has been shown to improve the likelihood that a Basic Education student will
earn college credit and college credential. The proposal is to provide $15.0 million in dedicated state
funding to support 1,250 enrollments (FTEs) annually, for the 2015-17 biennium.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2014
FY 2015
Total
$7,500,000
$7,500,000
$15,000,000
O2 – Improve Success in Math
This decision package requests appropriations to support efforts to improve math outcomes for
community and technical college (CTC) students. With an average age of 26, CTC students are usually
years out of high school. One of the largest obstacles confronting these students is completing a college
level math course, with many students facing a minimum of one quarter in a pre-college course of study.
Evidence shows that students who continuously struggle in math are more likely to end their pursuit of a
degree or credential than students who successfully complete their math requirements.
The first element of the request is to provide funding to implement best practices for improving precollege math curriculum, with goals of improving the time required for students to reach college math
competency. The second portion of the request is to expand the presence of and increase funding for
the MESA Community College program. The total biennial request is $10.1 million.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2016
FY 2017
Total
$5,032,000
$5,032,000
$10,064,000
O3 – Workforce Program Demand and Improvement
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) requests $5 million to establish a rapidresponse fund that will allow colleges to act even faster when a business need emerges in a local
community. This ongoing funding will be used to provide a one-time cash infusion to colleges on an asneeded basis to update or start a program on-demand. These funds will help align current and future
training programs with emerging industry skill requirements and help meet employer demand to fill skill
gaps.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2016
FY 2017
Total
$2,500,000
$2,500,000
$5,000,000
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Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
2015-17 Operating Budget Policy Level Request
O4 – Maintenance and Operation Funding for locally constructed facilities
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges requests $689,000 for the maintenance and
operation (M&O) of new instructional facilities constructed with non-state funds, in which prior
authorization from the state has been provided in the capital budget. Each facility is scheduled to be
occupied before July 1, 2017. M&O funding covers utilities, custodial, and routine maintenance.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2016
FY 2017
Total
$262,000
$427,000
$689,000
O5 – New and Increased Fee authority
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges requests the authority to adopt or increase fees
falling under the provisions of RCW 43.135.055 (Fee Restrictions). In the 2013-15 Biennial Budget, the
Legislature provided the community college system the authority to adopt or increase fees by amounts
judged reasonable and necessary by the Trustees. Increased revenue estimates are based on the FY
2016 and FY 2017 fiscal growth factor as estimated by the Washington State Expenditure Limit
Committee.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2014
FY 2015
Total
$3,850,000
$4,270,000
$8,120,000
O6 and O7 – Collective Bargaining Agreements – Yakima Valley and Highline Community
Colleges
This is a placeholder for appropriations that may be needed to implement the Chapter 41.80 RCW
collective bargaining agreements (CBA) for the 2015-17 biennium applicable to Yakima Valley
Community College and Highline Community College. OFM budget instructions require the State Board
to submit a decision package for Yakima Valley Community College, however, the September 19, 2014
submission due date is out of cycle with the CBA due date of October 1, 2014.
Requested Funding by Fiscal Year
FY 2016
FY 2017
Total
TBD
TBD
TBD
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