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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello Folks, <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">In case you did not see the SBCTC response to the recent Hechinger Report, below I share Executive Director Paul Frances response letter to the OpEd.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Paul Francis <pfrancis@sbctc.edu> <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, April 4, 2023 2:49 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> SBCTC All Staff <SBCTCAllStaff@sbctc.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Response to 4/3 Seattle Times Article<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Colleagues –
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">FYI – Today I submitted the below Letter to the Editor in response to the
<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/more-than-a-third-of-community-college-students-have-vanished/">
April 3 article</a> by The Hechinger Report as published in yesterday’s Seattle Times:
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#7030A0">The April 3 article by The Hechinger Report about community and technical colleges missed the mark here in Washington.
<span style="background:white">The </span>article used non-Washington examples that drew unfounded correlations to our state’s community and technical colleges. It said little about the pandemic’s effect on enrollments or on our students, many of whom are first-generation
and low-income students who had to prioritize work, family and financial pressures. There is no recognition of Washington’s nationally-acclaimed transfer agreements, or the fact that the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University
ranked Washington #1 in the nation for transfer students completing bachelor’s degrees. Washington residents consistently give community and technical colleges high ratings. The Association of Washington Business and the Washington Roundtable are clear in
stating our colleges’ role in building a strong workforce. Do we still have work to do? Definitely. We are striving to improve completion rates and redesign the student experience so students have clear pathways through college and into careers, with advising
and support to stay on track. Our colleges are facing many national trends, but we are working locally to break down barriers and serve students in a post-pandemic environment. Students, communities and employers count on it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#7030A0"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#7030A0">Paul Francis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#7030A0">Executive Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#7030A0">Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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Francis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium",sans-serif;color:#003764">Executive Director</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Medium",sans-serif;color:#003764"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764">Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:pfrancis@sbctc.edu">pfrancis@sbctc.edu</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003561">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764">• o: 360-704-4355
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><a href="https://www.sbctc.edu/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">sbctc.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003561">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764">• Twitter:
</span><a href="https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">@SBCTCWashington</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#003764"> • Facebook:
</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif">@WASBCTC</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><i><span style="font-family:"Franklin Gothic Book",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:63.0pt"><i><span style="color:#1F4E79">SBCTC Vision - “Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice
in service to our diverse communities.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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