Washington

Since 1955, Washington has partnered with and benefited from WICHE through regional collaboration, resource-sharing, sound public policy, and innovation.

Download the factsheet for Washington here.

2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR

0 TOTAL SAVED

by Washington students through WICHE Student Access Programs

0 SAVED

through WUE

0 SAVED

through WRGP

WICHE’s Student Access Programs

WICHE operates three Student Access Programs that together saved nearly 50,000 students $580+ million in 2022-23. Each program supports students at each level of postsecondary education: undergraduate, graduate, and professional healthcare studies.

Students gain from increased choice and savings.
Schools gain by optimizing enrollments.
States and Pacific Island members gain by growing the skills of those they serve and strengthening their workforce.

What Students Are Saying

“As a first-generation college student, figuring out how to pay for my education has been a rocky road. I recently completed my bachelor’s at Eastern Washington University (EWU) and am now moving on to my master’s in Social Work. Thanks to the reduced tuition I pay with WRGP, I can continue my education at EWU and keep high academic achievement my top priority. I’m currently interning at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane in the Pediatric Oncology Unit. This experience has been very fulfilling; I enjoy supporting children and their families through challenging times in their lives.”

– Alizea, Idaho Resident| Master’s of Social Work, Eastern Washington University

Improving Lives in Washington

WICHE works collaboratively to expand educational access and excellence for all residents of the West. By promoting innovation, cooperation, resource sharing, and sound public policy, WICHE strengthens higher education’s contributions to the region’s social, economic, and civic life. Learn more about our mission.

Expand All Collapse All

Regional Collaboration

WICHE brings together senior academic leaders to foster dialogue about issues facing individual institutions through its leadership and professional development networks.

WESTERN ALLIANCE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE ACADEMIC LEADERS – 2-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

Centralia College
Spokane Community College
Walla Walla Community College
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Valerie Sundby, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, serves as the meeting chair on the Alliance executive committee.

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP FORUM – 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS

Central Washington University
Eastern Washington University
The Evergreen State College
Washington State University Vancouver

Renny Christopher, Washington State University Vancouver, serves on the Forum executive committee.

WESTERN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY is a year-long professional development program for academic leaders aspiring to become chief academic officers in the WICHE region. Six cohort members from Washington institutions have participated in the Academy since its inception in 2015.

NO HOLDING BACK Central Washington University is one of 12 WICHE institutions participating in a community of practice in which institutions are analyzing data and revising policies related to transcript and student holds in 2022-23.

Thanks to collaboration with the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC), one of four U.S. regional higher education compacts, WICHE-region educational institutions, nonprofits, and public education entities can benefit from three programs: MHECtech, which provides competitively bid purchasing contracts for an array of hardware, software, and technology services; MHECare, which provides a student health insurance plan and teletherapy services; and a MHEC Cyber Insurance Program, which offers risk transfer and advisory solutions. Learn more.

Washington participates in the STATE AUTHORIZATION RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT (SARA) through WICHE. This voluntary agreement provides reciprocity for the state authorization of distance education.

Optimal Behavioral Healthcare

WICHE Behavioral Health Program administers the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) and supports three grantees in Washington (across four sites): Kittitas County Health Network, Mason County Health, and Northwest Medical Foundation of Tillamook.

Sound Public Policy

Knocking at the College Door is the leading U.S. resource for projections of college-ready students. Knocking, which includes a quadrennial publication with additional analysis, is essential for postsecondary policymakers, planning and workforce efforts, and economic development.

WICHE offers curated data and policy resources to support better-informed decision-making:

Tuition and Fees in the West includes tuition, fees, and enrollment data about 350+ public institutions in the West.
Benchmarks: WICHE Region presents information on the West’s progress in improving access to, success in, and financing of higher education.
Data on over 35 indicators in WICHE’s Regional Fact Book for Higher Education in the West.

WICHE staff have presented to Washington’s House College and Workforce Development Committee on evidence-based policies to support student success in these challenging times.

Innovative Solutions

WCET- The WICHE Cooperative for Education Technologies is the leader in practice, policy, and advocacy of technology-enhanced learning in higher education. Washington WCET members include Bellevue College, Central Washington University, Community Colleges of Spokane, Eastern Washington University, Pierce College, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and Washington State University.

Additionally, Big Bend Community College, Community Colleges of Spokane, Eastern Washington University, Green River College, Heritage University, Lower Columbia College, Pierce College, Shoreline Community College, Tacoma Community College, Walla Walla Community College, and the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges are members of the State Authorization Network (SAN), which helps guide institutions through state regulations around online courses and programs.

WICHE has convened the OERWest Network, which is part of a nationwide collaborative to scale the development and adoption of free course materials. Open educational resources (OER) have shown promise in improving student outcomes, particularly for poverty-affected students, for whom the high cost of textbooks can be a barrier to postsecondary success.