December 2009
Washington 3.0: Innovation and Policy Leaders Focus on Learning and Leadership at the 2009 Technology Institute
In September, leaders from state and federal government, technology-based businesses, education organizations and research institutions gathered at the Technology Alliance's biennial policy retreat to identify strategies for strengthening Washington education, research and entrepreneurship in a climate of economic uncertainty.
One thing is certain: it is time to hit the reset button and focus on learning and leadership for the new new economy.
The agenda featured elected leaders, education advocates, commercialization experts, and experienced investors and entrepreneurs sharing data and perspectives on Washington’s innovation capacity and how changing conditions at the state, federal and global level might impact our state’s ability to grow the jobs, companies and industries of the future. The key driver of this is our people, the competitive advantage from which all our other strengths flow: robust research programs, job-creating industries, and a vibrant entrepreneurial and investor community.
It was, therefore, no surprise that most of the discussion and energy was directed at education. And, while participants acknowledged that Washington has taken some important first steps to reform our public K-12 system, there clearly is more work to be done for our state – and our nation – to make the grade.
Expectation vs. reality
Thomas Kane, deputy director of education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s U.S. program, pointed out a startling mismatch when it comes to educational attainment in Washington and the rest of the nation. Surveys indicate the vast majority of parents – between 80% and 90% – expect their children will go to college. But, according to Postsecondary Opportunity, only 17 out of every 100 students entering 9th grade in our state go on to graduate high school, enroll in college, and complete an associate’s or bachelor’s degree within 150% time.
The cracks in our pipeline start to show before students even reach high school.
“I feel like Bill Murray in that movie, Groundhog Day,” said TA Chair Emeritus Marty Smith, managing director of MetaJure, Inc., as he pointed out that the percentage of Washington eighth graders scoring proficient on national reading and math assessments has remained virtually flat for most of this decade.
What has not remained flat is Washington ninth graders’ chance for college by age 19. This is Postsecondary Opportunity’s calculation of on-time persistence from high school to higher education, and the data show our state has been moving in the wrong direction.
In 1992, we ranked 13th in the nation, with our students’ chance for college pegged at around 45%. By 2006 that figure had fallen to 33%, causing our relative position to deteriorate to 46th.
“One of the reasons innovative industries are so desirable is that they create more jobs. The data point I like to highlight is our software industry: every job in software supports six jobs in our state,” said Smith. “When we talk about growing our innovative industries and creating high-wage, high-impact jobs, these are inextricably linked to growing our educated workforce.”
“My question is this: will Washington’s kids be able to take part?”
Raising the bar
During our discussions, a great deal of emphasis was placed on the profound impact of teacher quality and rigorous high school curriculum on student success in school and beyond.
“Teachers matter more than anything else,” observed Kati Haycock, president of The Education Trust, as she highlighted the 10-percentile point difference in student achievement in math between top and bottom quartile teachers. And the impact of teacher performance on student performance is cumulative: “Kids who have two or three strong teachers in a row literally soar,” she said.
“Kids who have two or three weak teachers in a row never recover.”
When it comes to post-secondary achievement, one factor has been identified above all others to be the single most reliable predictor of how well students will do in college. Is it a student’s SAT score? Class rank? Grade point average?
No.
“Quality and intensity of the high school curriculum,” revealed Haycock, urging Washington to follow through on the work that was begun to implement “CORE 24” and join the 20 other states that have made a college prep curriculum the default curriculum for all students.
She also urged us to rethink how we treat students who are struggling: we should raise the bar, not lower it. Haycock pointed to evidence that students who rank in the bottom quartile entering high school make greater achievement gains in college prep courses than they do when placed in less demanding classes.
“These kids need to be accelerated,” she insisted, “not slowed down.”
If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it
This was the observation made by TA Chair Jeremy Jaech, CEO of Verdiem, in calling for more and better use of data to identify effective teachers and support student achievement.
Washington and our nation as a whole have been slow to embrace student data as a component of teacher evaluation or to make it easily accessible – or even easily understood. The tide appears to be turning, partly due to the federal government’s efforts to incentivize states to develop more robust data systems that link student and teacher performance.
Washington is working on implementing such a system – an opportunity, Jaech observed, to measure and manage our K-12 system more effectively, but only if the data is packaged in a way that empowers teachers, principals, parents and other stakeholders to drive meaningful change in our schools.
“We need a K-12 system that produces college-ready kids,” he said during the final morning of the retreat. “And we need a university system that both produces work-ready graduates and attracts the researchers who are at the center of new innovations and the early stage capital necessary to enable our innovators to move ideas from concept to commercialization.”
“I hope you will work with us as we take what we have learned at this retreat and turn it into action plans for making Washington an even better place to build and grow innovative companies and to strengthen our state economy,” Jaech concluded.
Visit our Technology Institute page to view photos of the 2009 retreat and to download presentations by keynote speakers Kati Haycock and Mark Heesen, president of the National Venture Capital Association.
Technology Alliance Urges Washington Education and Policy Leaders to Maintain Commitment to Meaningful Math and Science Graduation Requirements
On November 19th, the Technology Alliance issued a public statement in response to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn’s proposal to further delay math and science graduation requirements.
Calling any retreat from the commitment to provide Washington’s students with a meaningful high school diploma “unconscionable,” the Technology Alliance urged state leaders to stay the course and highlighted key actions identified during our Technology Institute retreat which, if implemented, would positively impact upon our students’ achievement.
Research into Results: Innovation Showcase Aims to Connect Innovators with the Entrepreneur and Investor Community
How can we unleash the promise of innovations developed at our public and private research institutions and turn them into commercially viable products, services and companies?
A brand new Technology Alliance program, the Innovation Showcase, may be the answer.
Two New Fellows Spread Their Wings at Alliance of Angels
It is a rite of passage for a select few entrepreneurial-minded MBA students: every autumn, Alliance of Angels welcomes two new fellows, offering a unique opportunity for them to work side-by-side with experienced investors and entrepreneurs at one of the most active angel groups in the nation.
Meet Read Maloney and Zach Okun, the latest University of Washington MBA candidates to get their wings.
Technology Alliance Welcomes Old Friends and New Faces
The Technology Alliance is pleased to announce the addition of four outstanding business and community leaders to our board: Stephan Coonrod of K&L Gates; Sid Ferrales of RealNetworks; Ned Sander of AH&T Insurance; and Peter van Oppen of Trilogy Partnership.
Rise and Shine! Don’t Miss the Science & Technology Discovery Series
What better way to start the day than with a generous helping of science and technology for breakfast?
So far, members of the 2009-2010 Discovery Series have been treated to presentations on computer security, new protein development, and advances in treating influenza and AIDS. Read on to discover our exciting lineup of speakers for the remainder of the season, and be sure to set your alarm clock.
Save the Date: 5.17.2010
Mark your calendars and plan to join us on May 17th from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Sheraton Seattle for the State of Technology Luncheon, the premier annual event for Washington's innovation community!
The 2010 luncheon will feature a keynote presentation by Clayton M. Christensen, author of The Innovator's Dilemma and Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns.
We offer a variety of sponsorship packages that include reserved seating, extensive visibility for your company or organization, and other exciting benefits. For more details, click here.
Important Dates
- December 11
- Science & Technology Discovery Series
- Featuring: Denise Calloway, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
- 7:30 am - 9:00 am
- Rainier Club, Seattle
- January 8
- Science & Technology Discovery Series
- Featuring: Bruce Montgomery, Gilead Sciences
- 7:30 am - 9:00 am
- Rainier Club, Seattle
- January 11
- Alliance of Angels 10 Minute Pitch Clinic
- 2:30 - 5:30 pm
- 1301 5th Avenue #2500, Seattle
- January 21
- Technology Alliance Board Meeting
- 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
- RealNetworks, Seattle
- January 25
- Innovation Showcase
- Registration: 3:00 pm
- Showcase: 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
- Reception: 5:30 - 6:30 pm
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle
- May 17
- State of Technology Luncheon
- Featuring: Clayton M. Christensen
- 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
- Sheraton, Seattle
