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6
Community Council
Findings
These findings represent
information received by
the Study Committee
and the Study Commit-
tee’s consensus as to the
reasonable validity of the
information received. They
are derived from pub-
lished materials, from facts
reported by resource peo-
ple and from a consensus
of the committee’s under-
standing of the opinions
of resource people.
provide individuals with the skills they
need to participate in sustainable
economic growth.
Shifting education policies make
it difficult to effectively sustain and
deliver quality educational programs.
Over the past several decades public
spending on higher education has
decreased significantly, which has
made it challenging for institutions to
provide accessible, high-quality edu-
cation. For example, Steve VanAusdle,
President of Walla Walla Community
College (WWCC), reported that in
1984, 94 percent of WWCC’s budget
was funded by the State of Washing-
ton; today only 36 percent is. Further,
the provision of many valuable K–12
educational programs and services
depends on the passage of local lev-
ies. It is in this context of reduced state
support and precarious local funding
that we seek to ensure investments
in education are appropriate and
strategic.
Framework: Investing in
human capital
This study sought to answer the ques-
tion, “How can we strategically invest
in education as a way to drive regional
economic growth?” Implicit in that
question is the premise that educa-
tion has a strong, direct relationship
with economic growth. VanAusdle
presented a model for economic
growth that incorporates education,
infrastructure, and capital investments
INTRODUCTION
We live in a world of increasing eco-
nomic complexity and diversity. The
old economy of mass production and
mass consumption that generated
predictable labor market demand
and sustained wage growth is a thing
of the past. Now, rapid technological
change drives the creation of new
businesses, products and markets,
while aging industries are restructured
to remain competitive or are shut
down. Economic change places de-
mands on the labor force to adjust and
increasing global economic interde-
pendence generates uncertainty.
As a responsive community, we
are challenged to ensure that our
continuing investments in education
are in line with economic change and
A summary
of what was heard
As a responsive community, we are challenged
to ensure that our continuing investments in
education are in line with economic change and
provide individuals with the skills they need to
participate in sustainable economic growth.