Item Number:   8b_motion 
Meeting Date:   March 10, 2020 

1                                                   MOTION 2020-05: 
2                                 A MOTION OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 
3 
4                       Supporting the recommendations in "A Changing Tide" that align with the Port's
5                       Century Agenda goal to use our influence as an institution to promote workorce
6                       development. 
7 
8                                                         PROPOSED 
9                                                     MARCH 10, 2020 
10 
11                                                 INTRODUCTION 
12 
13    The Port of Seattle Century Agenda states that the Port shall use our influence as an institution
14    to promote workorce development. 
15 
16    In July of 2019, the Port of Seattle led the creation of a strategic action plan to generate
17    stakeholder engagement and to produce a final case statement for the development of a
18    maritime and ocean sciences high school. The case statement recommended furthering the
19    development of a maritime and ocean sciences high school 
20 
21    Highline Public Schools, the Port of Seattle and a diverse group of industry, tribal, government,
22    community, labor, education, and youth leaders, are currently working to identify how to equip
23    students who are furthest from economic opportunity and social justice for the climate-
24    adaptive, new-economy jobs in our region. The Port invested $50,000 in 2019 to create a
25    strategic action plan, to generate stakeholder engagement, and to produce a final case
26    statement on the project. The Port has set aside $100,000 in 2020 to continue this work as it
27    transitions to the leadership of Highline Public Schools. 
28 
29                                              TEXT OF THE MOTION 
30 
31    The Port of Seattle supports the recommendations in "A Changing Tide" that align with the Port's
32    Century  Agenda  goal  to "Use  our  influence  as  an  institutionto  promote  workforce
33    development." The recommendations include planning and further feasibility studies for a 
34    maritime and ocean sciences high school in south King county. Any future Port of Seattle funding
35    for this project will require Commission approval. 
36 



Motion 2020-05: Maritime High School                                                              Page 1 of 3

37    The Port of Seattle also supports the leadership of Highline Public Schools in continuing this 
38    work with local and regional stakeholders and governments to identify how to equip students
39    who are furthest from economic opportunity and social justice for the climate-adaptive, new-
40    economy jobs in our region. 
41 
42                                     STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION 
43 
44    The maritime sector is a pillar of the state's economy, but the workforce gap threatens the sector. 
45    Over 830 maritime businesses in King County provide 19,500 jobs that pay on average $82,800
46    per year, compared to Washington State's average annual salary of $52,000. Theimpending
47    mass retirement of almost a third of the workforce in the next ten years shows a job shortage of
48    150,000 mariners by 2025.  Students of color make up more than 70% of students in the
49    residential areas closest to our state's maritime clusterand have not had equitable access to
50    these family-wage waterfront jobs. Now is the time to close workforce skill gaps and advance the
51    next generation of maritime leaders, scientists, and innovators 
52 
53    This proposal contributes to the objectives of two initiatives launched by Governor Jay Inslee in
54    2017: Maritime Blue and Career Connect Washington (WA Governor's Office, 2017a, 2017b).
55    Maritime Blue aims to bolster innovations in the maritime sector that create living-wage jobs,
56    protect the environment and ensure sustainability for the maritime industry. A key component
57    of Maritime Blue is to update and increase vocational training to face the challenge of our aging
58    maritime workforce. Career Connect Washington aims to connect 100,000 young people to
59    career-oriented learning opportunities and to ensure that students have multiple pathways to
60    high-demand, high-wage jobs. Included in this initiative is a priority for better equipping CTE
61    leaders and supporting customized workforce initiatives. 
62 
63    The two prong goal of designing the action plan to establish a Career Launch Maritime High
64    School and a Maritime Joint Apprenticeship Committee directly responds to these legislative
65    priorities. Our action plan will include building a curriculum that targets the development of
66    skills in youth that are not only needed for a successful secondary and post-secondary
67    education but also for maritime apprenticeships and careers. This action plan will be guided by
68    providing youth opportunities to develop the skills necessary for a successful future according
69    to the following standards: 
70 
71            Washington State Board of Education Graduation Requirements
72              (https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/graduation/graduation-
73              requirements/graduation-pathways-toolkit) All youth will develop the skills and 
74              competencies necessary to meet their Washington State High School graduation
75              requirements. 
76 
77            Common Core Standards (http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/) The
78              Common Core State Standards are research- and evidence-based learning goals at
79              each grade level to help prepare students for college, career and life. 
80 

Motion 2020-05: Maritime High School                                                              Page 2 of 3

81            Next Generation Science Standards (https://www.nextgenscience.org/) The Next
82              Generation Science Standards are a set of research-based K12 educational science
83              standards that prepare youth for college, careers and citizenship. Scientific literacy is
84              at the heart of America's ability to continue innovating, leading, and creating jobs for
85              the future. These standards identify scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting
86              concepts and core ideas in science that all K12 students should master in order to
87              prepare for success in college and 21st-century careers. 
88 
89            Washington State Learning Standards: Integrated Environmental and Sustainability
90              (https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/resources-subject-area/environment-
91              sustainability/integrated-environmental-and) These standards describe what all
92              students should know and be able to do in the area of Environmental and
93              Sustainability Education. Consistent with the law governing environmental education 
94              in Washington State, these standards are intended to be integrated into core content
95              areas and across all grade levels. These standards are particularly relevant for
96              maritime education and our blue economy that depends on sustainable practices and
97              ocean ecosystem health. 
98 
99            National Maritime Center (https://www.dco.uscg.mil/national_maritime_center/) The
100              National Maritime Center is a world class credentialing program that ensures a safe,
101              secure, economically viable and environmentally sound Marine Transportation System
102              manned by fully qualified US mariners. As a maritime high school, we will target skills
103              needed for our youth to meet the credentialing requirements of the US Coast Guard
104              National Maritime Center. 
105 
106            World of Work Inventory (WOWI) assessment (https://www.wowi.com/) Persons
107              entering an apprenticeship must have completed the World of Work Inventory
108              (WOWI) assessment. WOWI is a scientifically developed, objective assessment that
109              incorporates three dimensions to uncover optimal career matches. 
110 
111            Superintendent of Public Instruction Multiple Pathways to Graduation (House Bill
112              1599) https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/graduation/graduation-
113              requirements/multiple-pathways-graduation-house-bill-1599) Starting with the class
114              of 2020, students have an expanded number of ways to show that they are ready for
115              the next step after high school, a primary new pathway being a CTE pathway. Our
116              sequence of courses will provide the skills necessary to lead to employment,
117              postsecondary education and/or an apprenticeship. 




Motion 2020-05: Maritime High School                                                              Page 3 of 3