| Passed by the House March 11, 2014 Yeas 96 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate March 7, 2014 Yeas 49 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2626 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. BARBARA BAKER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved April 3, 2014, 11:16 a.m., with
the exception of Section 1, which is
vetoed. JAY INSLEE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | April 4, 2014 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/05/14.
AN ACT Relating to establishing statewide educational attainment goals; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
*NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature finds that increasing
educational attainment is vital to the well-being of Washingtonians and
critical to the health of the state's economy. Education opens doors
to gainful employment, higher wages, increased job benefits, improved
physical health, and increased civic engagement. Educated workers who
are capable of competing for high-demand jobs in today's global economy
sustain existing employers and attract new businesses. These
individuals with competitive higher education credentials directly
contribute to the state's economic growth and vitality.
(2) The legislature finds that workforce and labor market
projections estimate that by 2020 the vast majority of jobs in
Washington will require at least a high school diploma or equivalent
and seventy percent of those jobs will also require some postsecondary
education.
(3) The legislature finds that current levels of educational
attainment are inadequate to address the educational needs of the
state. In 2013, eighty-nine percent of Washington adults ages twenty-five to forty-four had a high school diploma or equivalent, and less
than fifty percent of Washington adults ages twenty-five to forty-four
have a postsecondary credential.
(4) The legislature recognizes that one of the most important
duties of the student achievement council is to propose educational
attainment goals to the governor and legislature and develop a ten-year
roadmap to achieve those goals, to be updated every two years.
*Sec. 1 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 Acknowledging the recommendations in the
higher education ten-year roadmap, the legislature is encouraged by the
student achievement council's efforts to meet the following two goals
in order to meet the societal and economic needs of the future:
(1) All adults in Washington ages twenty-five to forty-four will
have a high school diploma or equivalent by 2023; and
(2) At least seventy percent of Washington adults ages twenty-five
to forty-four will have a postsecondary credential by 2023.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 This act expires July 1, 2016.