Link to PSA

Summary:  We need help passing a bill that supports free two-year education at community/technical colleges for all Washington residents without a degree.  One in four Washingtonian high school graduates actually receive a degree or a certificate within 6 years (based on the high-school class of 2009), and we think some of the causes for such a low ratio lie in the cost of these colleges.  If we are able to pass this bill, we can be one-step closer to Washington becoming a state that offers equal opportunities to all.  Please support this bill by signing this petition.

In one of my essays, I discuss the importance of education.  I argue how “there may not be a cure-all, but proper education . . . can quite possibly be an effective remedy for this warped world.” There is no doubt that I am interested in the topic of education, so I wanted to be part of a bill that involved it.  This is when I found bill 2820, or the Washington Promise bill, a bill that provides Washington residents free opportunities to educate themselves at community/technical colleges.  Education is a powerful tool to change the world because it not only boost the economy but also helps people achieve their dreams.  Indeed, education is the solution to most problems in the world, and this bill can help this world become a better place.  With the Washington Promise bill, we can close the wealth gap as more residents without money for such education can receive a degree or a certificate, enabling them to apply for jobs that allow a higher income.  Some studies show how uneducated people tend to have less income and people with less income are unable to receive higher education as they cannot afford it, thus resulting in a vicious cycle (García).  The Washington Promise would improve if not end this vicious cycle in the state of Washington.

In the state of Washington, even though a high percentage of Washington residents have college degrees, the percentage of high school graduates going to college is ranked among the bottom states of America.  A study from the U.S. Department of Education states how 41.6% of Washingtonians have college degrees while the national average is 38.8% (as of 2009).  But, if we take a look at Seattle Times analysis using data from the Washington State Education Research and Data Center, out of the 62810 students who graduated from Washington public high schools in 2009 (about 79000 if dropouts were included), 20744 went to community/technical colleges while 18763 students went to a four-year university.  This means that only 63% of the class of 2009 in Washington went to college (Long, Katherine "Trends:  Washington State's Higher-education . . . .").

Even more, calculating the completion rates for students at four-year and two-year colleges by using the data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges gives us a staggering 57.4% for the percentage of students graduating from four-year colleges, and similarly, 41% for the percentage of students at two-year colleges receiving an associate degree.  This means that only one in four high school students from Washington's high-school class of 2009 will finish college by 2015—excluding private high school students (Long, Katherine "Trends: Washington State's Higher-education . . . .). 

And data shows how this is a persisting trend, as seen from the consistent estimate of 60% of Washington high-school graduates going to college each year (High School Feedback Reports).

Going back to the question, how can such a high percentage of Washington residents have college degrees while such a low percentage of Washington high school graduates finish college?  This is because many college graduates come from other states to work in industries such as Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon.  Indeed, the state of Washington harbors many high-tech companies, where many of their workers came from elsewhere—from California, the East Coast, India, China, and South Korea.  Even so, we don't think that is the problem here.  We need not change these high-tech companies but we need to increase the percentage of Washingtonian high-school graduates going to college and receiving a degree.  And to do so, we must help reduce the burden of going to college by making it free (Long, "Why Washington's Kids Aren't . . . .).

Student loan debt for community college students in Washington doubled in recent years to average $5,600 per year. While tuition was reduced significantly for students at four-year schools this year, community and technical college students were provided with only a very small reduction. The average community college student in Washington is over 25 years old, and many community and technical college students cannot complete their degrees because of their rent or child care costs ("Free Community College Proposal Gets . . . .).

There was a public testimony on February 3rd.  At the hearing, North Seattle Community Faline Jett states “If HB 2820 passes, students like me won’t have to choose between food and an education” ("Free Community College Proposal Gets . . . .).  There is no doubt that the Washington Promise bill will be able to help students like Faline Jett.  We must take part by giving the bill a final push towards a law.

Please join us in providing all Washingtonians with free education.  Make this happen by signing this petition and spreading the word thereby increasing the awareness of the problem and this possible solution.

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