Office of Planning & Budgeting

employment


October 23, 2019

Background on the State Revenue Forecast

The Office of Planning & Budgeting (OPB) publishes a summary of the state’s quarterly revenue forecasts. This primer provides background on revenue forecast reports, including helpful information about how to interpret and understand their contents. Who produces the report? The Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) produces the revenue forecast, and is comprised…


September 18, 2015

UW is Most Innovative Public University in the World and “Best Bang for the Buck” Among Western Schools

Reuters recently ranked the UW as the fourth most innovative university in the world among public and private institutions, surpassed only by Stanford, MIT and Harvard.  When looking at public institutions alone, however, the UW topped the list. As the Seattle Times noted, “The ranking takes into account academic papers, which indicate basic research performed…


October 7, 2014

Kaplan’s New “Open College” May Not Be a Bargain for All Students

On Monday, Kaplan University launched “Open College” which is intended to help adult students earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Studies by offering credit for a combination of competency-based course assessments, experiential learning, and external exams (AP, IB, CLEP, DSSTs, etc.). Open College will include free online courses and mentoring to help prospective…


May 30, 2014

Higher Ed News Roundup

Here’s a quick roundup of some of this week’s headlines in higher ed news. Report Argues Gainful Employment Rules Could Hurt For-Profits’ Students  According to a study commissioned by the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, up to 44 percent of students at for-profit colleges could lose access to federal financial aid under the…


October 28, 2013

College Board also Releases “Education Pays 2013”

The College Board recently published “Education Pays 2013: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society,” which provides data on U.S. adults’ level of education and its impact on earnings, employment, health-related behaviors, reliance on public assistance programs, civic participation, and more. The goal of the report, the authors say, is to highlight the ways in…


September 19, 2013

Higher Education and Career-Ready Graduates: New Surveys Offer Insight into America’s Opinions

The results of two new surveys released Tuesday reveal some of America’s views on both the future of higher education as well as its role in producing desirable outcomes, particularly career-ready graduates. Under Northeastern University’s sponsorship, FTI Consulting surveyed 263 hiring managers in July as well as 1,000 adult Americans in August.  Here are some…


March 21, 2013

March Washington State Revenue Forecast Remains Relatively Stable

On Wednesday, March 20, the Washington State Economic & Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) released its quarterly update of State General Fund Revenues. Revenue from an anticipated increase in Washington housing permits and real estate excise tax receipts is expected to offset higher federal tax rates and spending cuts than were previously assumed. Overall, revenue projections for…


December 14, 2012

Student Outcomes May Determine Fate of Online and For-Profit Programs in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Education Approval Board, which oversees all for-profit colleges located in the state and any online-learning programs offered to its residents, may require that those institutions achieve specific performance standards in order to operate within Wisconsin. Specifically, that board is proposing to require that at least 60 percent of a college’s students complete their…


December 11, 2012

NIH Proposals Could Impact Biomedical Research

On Friday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved a rough implementation plan for a set of initiatives that could affect biomedical studies and the faculty, postdoctoral, and student researchers who conduct them. Three working groups proposed the plan back in June and mean for it to guide, diversify, and improve biomedical research through new grant programs…


December 6, 2012

MOOC Providers Now Offer Headhunter Services

Massive open online course (MOOC) providers, Coursera and Udacity, are now offering to sell information about high-performing students to employers who have available positions. Coursera, which is known for working with high-profile colleges, announced its version of the headhunter service on Tuesday. Already some similarly high-profile tech companies, such as Facebook and Twitter, have enrolled…



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