Motion 2020-05: Maritime High School Page 1 of 3
MOTION 2020-05:
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A MOTION OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION
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Supporting the recommendations in “A Changing Tide” that align with the Port’s
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Century Agenda goal to use our influence as an institution to promote workorce
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development.
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PROPOSED
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MARCH 10, 2020
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INTRODUCTION
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The Port of Seattle Century Agenda states that the Port shall use our influence as an institution
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to promote workorce development.
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In July of 2019, the Port of Seattle led the creation of a strategic action plan to generate
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stakeholder engagement and to produce a final case statement for the development of a
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maritime and ocean sciences high school. The case statement recommended furthering the
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development of a maritime and ocean sciences high school
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Highline Public Schools, the Port of Seattle and a diverse group of industry, tribal, government,
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community, labor, education, and youth leaders, are currently working to identify how to equip
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students who are furthest from economic opportunity and social justice for the climate-
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adaptive, new-economy jobs in our region. The Port invested $50,000 in 2019 to create a
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strategic action plan, to generate stakeholder engagement, and to produce a final case
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statement on the project. The Port has set aside $100,000 in 2020 to continue this work as it
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transitions to the leadership of Highline Public Schools.
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TEXT OF THE MOTION
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The Port of Seattle supports the recommendations in “A Changing Tide” that align with the Port’s
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Century Agenda goal to “Use our influence as an institution…to promote workforce
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development.” The recommendations include planning and further feasibility studies for a
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maritime and ocean sciences high school in south King county. Any future Port of Seattle funding
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for this project will require Commission approval.
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Item Number: 8b_motion
Meeting Date: March 10, 2020
Motion 2020-05: Maritime High School Page 2 of 3
The Port of Seattle also supports the leadership of Highline Public Schools in continuing this
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work with local and regional stakeholders and governments to identify how to equip students
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who are furthest from economic opportunity and social justice for the climate-adaptive, new-
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economy jobs in our region.
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STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION
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The maritime sector is a pillar of the state’s economy, but the workforce gap threatens the sector.
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Over 830 maritime businesses in King County provide 19,500 jobs that pay on average $82,800
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per year, compared to Washington State’s average annual salary of $52,000. The impending
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mass retirement of almost a third of the workforce in the next ten years shows a job shortage of
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150,000 mariners by 2025. Students of color make up more than 70% of students in the
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residential areas closest to our state’s maritime cluster and have not had equitable access to
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these family-wage waterfront jobs. Now is the time to close workforce skill gaps and advance the
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next generation of maritime leaders, scientists, and innovators
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This proposal contributes to the objectives of two initiatives launched by Governor Jay Inslee in
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2017: Maritime Blue and Career Connect Washington (WA Governor’s Office, 2017a, 2017b).
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Maritime Blue aims to bolster innovations in the maritime sector that create living-wage jobs,
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protect the environment and ensure sustainability for the maritime industry. A key component
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of Maritime Blue is to update and increase vocational training to face the challenge of our aging
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maritime workforce. Career Connect Washington aims to connect 100,000 young people to
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career-oriented learning opportunities and to ensure that students have multiple pathways to
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high-demand, high-wage jobs. Included in this initiative is a priority for better equipping CTE
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leaders and supporting customized workforce initiatives.
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The two prong goal of designing the action plan to establish a Career Launch Maritime High
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School and a Maritime Joint Apprenticeship Committee directly responds to these legislative
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priorities. Our action plan will include building a curriculum that targets the development of
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skills in youth that are not only needed for a successful secondary and post-secondary
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education but also for maritime apprenticeships and careers. This action plan will be guided by
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providing youth opportunities to develop the skills necessary for a successful future according
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to the following standards:
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● Washington State Board of Education Graduation Requirements
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(https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/graduation/graduation-
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requirements/graduation-pathways-toolkit) All youth will develop the skills and
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competencies necessary to meet their Washington State High School graduation
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requirements.
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● Common Core Standards (http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/) The
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Common Core State Standards are research- and evidence-based learning goals at
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each grade level to help prepare students for college, career and life.
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Motion 2020-05: Maritime High School Page 3 of 3
● Next Generation Science Standards (https://www.nextgenscience.org/) The Next
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Generation Science Standards are a set of research-based K–12 educational science
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standards that prepare youth for college, careers and citizenship. Scientific literacy is
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at the heart of America's ability to continue innovating, leading, and creating jobs for
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the future. These standards identify scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting
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concepts and core ideas in science that all K–12 students should master in order to
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prepare for success in college and 21st-century careers.
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● Washington State Learning Standards: Integrated Environmental and Sustainability
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(https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/resources-subject-area/environment-
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sustainability/integrated-environmental-and) These standards describe what all
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students should know and be able to do in the area of Environmental and
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Sustainability Education. Consistent with the law governing environmental education
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in Washington State, these standards are intended to be integrated into core content
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areas and across all grade levels. These standards are particularly relevant for
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maritime education and our blue economy that depends on sustainable practices and
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ocean ecosystem health.
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● National Maritime Center (https://www.dco.uscg.mil/national_maritime_center/) The
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National Maritime Center is a world class credentialing program that ensures a safe,
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secure, economically viable and environmentally sound Marine Transportation System
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manned by fully qualified US mariners. As a maritime high school, we will target skills
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needed for our youth to meet the credentialing requirements of the US Coast Guard
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National Maritime Center.
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● World of Work Inventory (WOWI) assessment (https://www.wowi.com/) Persons
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entering an apprenticeship must have completed the World of Work Inventory
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(WOWI) assessment. WOWI is a scientifically developed, objective assessment that
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incorporates three dimensions to uncover optimal career matches.
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● Superintendent of Public Instruction Multiple Pathways to Graduation (House Bill
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1599) https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/graduation/graduation-
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requirements/multiple-pathways-graduation-house-bill-1599) Starting with the class
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of 2020, students have an expanded number of ways to show that they are ready for
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the next step after high school, a primary new pathway being a CTE pathway. Our
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sequence of courses will provide the skills necessary to lead to employment,
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postsecondary education and/or an apprenticeship.
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