Washington & Microsoft Launch Statewide IT Academy

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn and Microsoft today officially launched Washington’s new statewide Microsoft IT Academy. The web-based academy will ultimately offer cutting-edge job skills and certification in more than 700 public high schools, skills centers and other locations across Washington.

Washington is only the second state to create statewide learning opportunities through the Microsoft IT Academy program. The training and certification will be provided free to high-school students.

Earlier this year, lawmakers set aside $4 million of the new state budget to make the statewide Microsoft IT Academy a reality for 2011-2013. The state’s investment is expected to reap an estimated $30 million in products and services.

The Microsoft IT Academy includes training and skill certification in numerous Microsoft products and in advanced topics, such as programming, Web development and database development.

At the official launch of the program, which was celebrated at Ingraham High School in Seattle, Dorn said that within 10 years three out of every four jobs will require some technology skills.

“The Microsoft IT Academy is a game changer,” Dorn said. “It will put our state at the nation’s forefront in education.”

Want to learn more? Take a look at today’s OSPI press release.

To read this blog post in Spanish, go here.

We're Number 1! (Again!)

For the ninth year in a row, Washington state’s 12th-graders led the nation in SAT scores for states where more than half of eligible students took the tests. According to the College Board, the percentage of students tested is important because generally the more kids who take the test, the lower the state score.

Since just about the turn of the century, though, Washington has bucked that trend. The Class of 2011 had a combined average score in reading, writing, and math of 520 – higher than all states in which at least 30% of students took the SAT. New Hampshire just missed the tie with a combined average score of 519.6, and our good friend Oregon scored 513.

The OSPI has more information here.

To read this blog post in Spanish, please go here.

What district are you in?

The long-awaited draft maps from the redistricting commissioners were released today and, as expected,  there are some similarities between them. But there are some big differences, too.

The commissioners now begin the process of negotiating their way to a final product. For the next month, though, the Redistricting Commission will be taking public comment on the draft plans so this is your chance to be heard!

Here are the maps:
Commissioner Dean Foster
Commissioner Tom Huff
Commissioner Tim Ceis
Commissioner Slade Gorton

Higher education tour coming to Spokane, Ellensburg and Tri-Cities

Members of the House Higher Education Committee will be arriving in eastern Washington cities next week. Meetings at WSU-Riverpoint in Spokane and Central Washington University in Ellensburg will focus on bringing those community perspectives to the state’s higher education leaders.

Rep. Larry Seaquist is chair of the committee going on The Educating Community Chautauqua Series. “It’s time to talk about how we want our state to look as we recover from this recession,” Seaquist said.

“Without question we need to be better educated, from more apprenticeships to more degrees, in order to compete in a changing world economy.”

The WSU-Riverpoint discussion on September 20 will have a focus on what’s called pipeline issues, like student transfer and transition problems.

At Central on September 21, access for underserved communities will be a key topic.

Members are also invited to a non-committee meeting at WSU-Tri Cities and Columbia Basin College on September 22. “By moving the conversation from the capital to the community, I think we can make significant progress to improve our state’s higher education system. For the committee members especially, this is the chance to put faces to the decisions we make in Olympia.”

The series will continue in October at Seattle University and Skagit Valley Community College, then in November there will be a culminating meeting for the series at South Puget Sound Community College.

Press and media are welcome to attend the series meetings. Contact Rep. Seaquist’s office for more information.

Moscoso and Frockt lead community volunteer challenge

Last week Reps. Luis Moscoso and David Frockt, along with dozens of their constituents from the 1st and 46th legislative districts and staff from neighboring districts took on Food Lifeline’s “Food Repack Challenge” to fill the shelves of local food banks.

Food Lifeline, the largest hunger relief organization in Washington state, hosted the challenge at its Shoreline Volunteer Center on Thursday, September 8th to kick off Hunger Action Month.

By the end of the event, volunteers had sorted and repacked a combined total of nearly 6,700 pounds, which will provide more than 6,000 nutritious meals for hungry people in their communities.

Food Lifeline's mission is to end hunger in Western Washington by engaging communities and mobilizing resources. Last year, Food Lifeline delivered more than 24 million meals to hungry people through its network of nearly 300 food banks, meal programs and shelters.

To learn how hunger-relief programs fared this year in Olympia, go to Food Lifeline’s 2011 State Legislative Session hunger relief program results.

To read this blog post in Spanish, go here.

Heroes to be honored at 60th Governor’s Safety Conference

The French novelist Romain Rolland once simply stated: "A hero is a man who does what he can."

On September 28 and 29th, 40 men and women who did what they could will be honored with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award at the 60th Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Conference.

Recipients are selected by an independent committee of the conference advisory board comprised of business and labor representatives. Those receiving the honor include an Edmonds school cafeteria worker who saved a young girl from choking, a group of workers in University Place who rescued a man washed down a sewer line, a utility crew in Aberdeen who happened upon a burning house, and a Spokane man who helped rescue a car crash victim from a burning vehicle.

The conference, sponsored by the Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board and the Department of Labor and Industries, includes several safety demonstrations, workshops, and special events such as the 14th Annual Forklift Rodeo and the 38th Annual Poletop Rescue Competition.

To read more about the recipients of the award and their heroic acts, check out this fact sheet.

If you're interested in attending the conference or would like more information, call toll-free 1-888-451-2004. TDD users may call 360-902-5797.

Honoring our elders – WA No. 2 in nation for long-term care

A national survey ranks Washington as the second-best state in the nation when it comes to caring for seniors.

The report by AARP wasn’t an opinion survey or based on anecdotes. This was hard science and numbers, judged by measuring 25 indicators of quality for long-term care of the elderly.

Here’s a quote from the story published in The Columbian:

“It’s not really a surprise to see that,” said Klaus Micheel, planning and advocacy manager at the Southwest Washington Agency on Aging and Disabilities in Vancouver. “Washington has been known for many years for providing quality long-term care and having a system that allows the frail senior population to receive care in their own homes instead of being locked up in a nursing home.”

For all 50 states, Washington ranked second for supporting family caregivers, third in providing people with choices for long-term care and second in the percent of Medicaid spending that goes for home and community-based care. That’s because we know that letting people remain in their own homes – and be cared for by family members – is the most respectful, compassionate and smartest thing we could do. Institutions are necessary and they do good work. Our first choice, though, is keeping people in their own homes.

There is room for improvement. Tough budget times have meant cuts to all state services. And the report points out some places Washington should beef up, like the turnover rate for caregivers.

On specific indicators, Washington ranked second in the percent of Medicaid spending going toward home and community-based care, third in providing consumers with choices for long-term care and second in support for family caregivers.

Related links:

Columbian story: WA No. 2 in nation for long-term care

AARP of Washington state