The Roundtable works to effect positive change on public policy issues that are most important to supporting state economic vitality and fostering opportunity for all Washingtonians. That work includes sharing news and analyzing policy developments affecting our state.

Latest News

Key investments in Senate’s transportation package

March 27th, 2015

Just six weeks into the current legislative session, the state Senate passed a bipartisan transportation investment package early this month.  It’s now up for consideration by the House of Representatives. Some key projects included in the package: Widening I-90 over Snoqualmie pass toimprove safety and provide for smoother movement between eastern and western Washington. Completing the SR-520 west side landing toimprove the link… Read more

U.S. students drop in math, reading, and science global rankings

March 20th, 2015

29 nations outperformed the U.S. in math by a significant margin. In reading, 19 nations scored higher than U.S. students —a jump from nine in 2009. Overall the PISA report puts the U.S. between the Slovak Republic and Lithuania and two spots behind Russia. These results are a reminder we need to strive to do better for our kids. The 2012 PISA results shows the… Read more

A 21st century workforce depends on high-quality STEM training

March 6th, 2015

The Opportunity Washington roadmap points out that 80% of unfilled jobs in Washington are linked to a shortage of qualified candidates with STEM skills. Add to that, Washington is among the top states for concentration of STEM jobs, yet according to a 2012 Boston Consulting Group study, approximately 80 percent of unfilled job in Washington are in highly skilled STEM fields. This gap… Read more

Protect fair and equitable measures of student success

March 3rd, 2015

Implementing new evidence-based methods to measure student performance can be challenging. But when has Washington backed down from a challenge? Certainly not when there’s this much at stake. All Washington kids deserve a life filled with options and a quality education that will enable them to pursue whatever path they choose. The journey starts with clear expectations and tools for every child that… Read more

Twitter

Washington Roundtable @waroundtable2 weeks agoRT @kpwashington: Since 2014, we have worked w/ @YouthCareSEA to support youth experiencing homelessness and struggling to receive care, an…
Washington Roundtable @waroundtable2 weeks agoRT @bmsnews: We earned 100 on the @DisabilityIN Disability Equality Index which recognizes companies that prioritize inclusion of people wi…
Washington Roundtable @waroundtable2 weeks agoRT @PNNLab: We're proudly partnering with @AvistaUtilities on the innovative Spokane, Wash. #EcoDistrict project to reimagine the future of…
Washington Roundtable @waroundtable3 weeks agoRT @fredhutch: “All four of our honorees — Michele, Kathy, April and Bev — are remarkable and have really made a terrific contributions to…
Washington Roundtable @waroundtable3 weeks agoRT @BellevueChamber: As Covid recovery continues, how has the local, global, and national economy responded? Join @WAFDbank CEO, Brent Bear…