As president of TCC’s Black Student Union, I know Tacoma colleges need more state support

Tacoma students have big dreams. We are the healthcare workers, educators and business owners that will keep our region vibrant. After 20 years working as a physical therapy assistant, a car accident caused an injury that demanded I retrain. I now have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare information management from Tacoma Community College, where I continue to take courses to refine my computer abilities. I have made many important friendships and learned critical new skills. I also serve as president of TCC’s Black Student Union.

The support that I needed to complete my degree included help navigating new technology to register for my classes and learning new computer skills. TCC’s Office of Student Engagement does excellent work to connect students — myself included — with needed resources. Students in Tacoma and across the state also rely on financial aid, tutoring and assistance to meet basic needs like food, housing and transportation. As the pandemic continues to disrupt our lives, students across Washington state urgently need expanded support to get and stay on track toward earning a credential, such as a degree, apprenticeship or certificate.

The state legislature is making decisions right now about what policies to prioritize and how to allocate money accordingly, and Washington has a big opportunity to provide essential support for students — while addressing a growing crisis that started long before the pandemic.

Enrollment has dropped virtually across the board at Washington’s colleges and universities during the pandemic, as current and future students put their goals on hold. I hear stories regularly from my peers about how their mental health leaves them unable to focus on school, or how students are working so hard to keep a roof over their head or pay their bills that school must wait. This is deeply concerning.

But even before COVID-19, far too few Washington students were successfully making the step from senior year to post-high school education. High school graduation rates are improving, but the percentage of those graduates enrolling in postsecondary programs at two- and four-year institutions hasn’t improved in more than a decade. In fact, postsecondary enrollment dropped two percentage points from the high school class of 2006 to the class of 2019.

This is all happening at a time when most jobs in Washington — particularly those with good salaries and the chance to get promoted — continue to be filled by workers who have completed a post-high school credential. That’s why the state set a goal that 70% of adults earn a credential beyond a high school diploma.

Washington was already behind in reaching this goal before the pandemic, and COVID-19 made matters worse. Only 43% of Washington’s high school class of 2019 is expected to complete a credential by age 26. Washington state must do better by its young people.

Bold legislative action can enable more students to start and stay in post-high school education to earn credentials. This legislature should prioritize strategies like comprehensive, culturally responsive outreach in multiple languages to help students and families learn about financial aid and the college application and enrollment processes — and how to navigate college life more easily. Emergency aid can help make sure an unforeseen expense like a car breaking down does not derail a student’s education. And financial aid like the Washington College Grant and the federal support from the CARES Act have made the difference between being able to pursue an education beyond a high school diploma or not.

I am passionate about helping people and had a truly amazing experience earning a degree at TCC that will enable me to continue making a difference in my community. I want to see the opportunity extended to as many students as possible, so they can keep up with our evolving world and get the skills needed to succeed in the job market and in their communities.

Stephanie Tisby recently received a bachelor’s degree in healthcare information management from Tacoma Community College. She is the president of TCC’s Black Student Union and a member of the board of directors for National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Seattle.