Subscription or Fee May Be Required to Access the Information on the External Link
Awarded in July 2026, Westat and the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) received a three-year research grant (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029) to examine differences in postsecondary access, completion, and economic returns across student groups in Washington State. The research project uses Washington State's Preschool-to-Grade 20-to-Workforce (P20W) longitudinal data system.
The research project draws on approximately 900,000 unique student-level observations across 11 cohorts of ninth graders in Washington between the 2004–05 and 2013–14 academic years. Analyses examine outcomes by gender, race, ethnicity, income, geographic region, institution type, and field of study. The primary workforce measure is earnings, assessed using the Postsecondary Value Commission's Postsecondary Value framework.
The project will produce three policy briefs, a final report, and a peer-reviewed journal article. Data is being published and updated through WSAC's and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' public-facing data dashboards. Four hybrid town hall sessions are engaging key stakeholders to discuss findings.
Washington State set a goal of 70% of residents holding a postsecondary credential, but the state is estimated to fall at least 12 percentage points short of this goal. In 2022, the governor issued an executive order directing the state to analyze disparities in postsecondary access and outcomes and recommend legislative action.
U.S. Department of Education — National Center for Education Research (NCER)
The AI Library Mapping Assistant is a work in progress. Users are advised to verify the information from additional sources.
We strive for accuracy but acknowledge that errors may occur, and we encourage users to provide constructive feedback.
Have something to add or refine? Your input in this work matters greatly and we look forward to reviewing your additions
