State board details adult basic education strategy, highlights I‑BEST and High School Plus, seeks legislative support

OLYMPIA — Staff from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges told the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee on March 25 that adult basic education (ABE) programs, including the nationally replicated I‑BEST model and the state’s High School Plus diploma program, are a key part of the state’s strategy to close a projected workforce credential shortfall.

Will Durden, director of Basic Education for Adults at the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), said the programs serve working‑age adults seeking high school completion, English language acquisition and pathways into postsecondary training and employment. “People also go back to school to feel their minds working and to learn new things, to help their kids, to feel competent, to remedy a poor education, to redefine who they are, and to start over,” Durden said.

Durden and SBCTC policy associates outlined program models, funding, outcomes and legislative priorities. The presenters said Washington faces a 12.8% job growth projection over the next decade and an estimated shortfall of nearly 600,000 credentialed workers; roughly 500,000 state adults have less than a high school diploma or equivalent.

Why it matters: SBCTC staff told lawmakers that ABE addresses both education equity and workforce needs by helping adults gain diplomas or credentials, improve English proficiency and enter or re‑enter…