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

MOTION 2020-05:

A MOTION OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION

supporting the recommendations in “A Changing Tide” that align

with the port’s Century Agenda goal to use our influence as an

institution to promote workforce development.

ADOPTED

MARCH 10, 2020

INTRODUCTION

The Port of Seattle Century Agenda states that the port shall use our influence as an institution

to promote workforce development.

In July of 2019, the Port of Seattle led the creation of a strategic action plan to generate

stakeholder engagement and to produce a final case statement for the development of a

maritime and ocean sciences high school. The case statement recommended furthering the

development of a maritime and ocean sciences high school.

Highline Public Schools, the Port of Seattle, and a diverse group of industry, tribal, government,

community, labor, education, and youth leaders are currently working to identify how to equip

students who are furthest from economic opportunity and social justice for the climate-adaptive,

new-economy jobs in our region. The port invested $50,000 in 2019 to create a strategic action

plan, to generate stakeholder engagement, and to produce a final case statement on the project.

The port has set aside $100,000 in 2020 to continue this work as it transitions to the leadership

of Highline Public Schools.

TEXT OF THE MOTION

The Port of Seattle supports the recommendations in “A Changing Tide” that align with the port’s

Century Agenda goal to “use our influence as an institution … to promote workforce

development.” The recommendations include planning and further feasibility studies for a

maritime and ocean sciences high school in south King County. Any future Port of Seattle funding

for this project will require commission approval.

The Port of Seattle also supports the leadership of Highline Public Schools in continuing this work

with local and regional stakeholders and governments to identify how to equip students who are

furthest from economic opportunity and social justice for the climate-adaptive, new-economy

jobs in our region.

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STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION

The maritime sector is a pillar of the state’s economy, but the workforce gap threatens the sector.

Over 830 maritime businesses in King County provide 19,500 jobs that pay on average $82,800

per year, compared to Washington state’s average annual salary of $52,000. The impending mass

retirement of almost a third of the workforce in the next ten years shows a job shortage of

150,000 mariners by 2025. Students of color make up more than 70 percent of students in the

residential areas closest to our state’s maritime cluster and have not had equitable access to

these family-wage waterfront jobs. Now is the time to close workforce skill gaps and advance the

next generation of maritime leaders, scientists, and innovators.

This proposal contributes to the objectives of two initiatives launched by Governor Jay Inslee in

2017: Maritime Blue and Career Connect Washington (WA Governor’s Office, 2017a, 2017b).

Maritime Blue aims to bolster innovations in the maritime sector that create living-wage jobs,

protect the environment and ensure sustainability for the maritime industry. A key component

of Maritime Blue is to update and increase vocational training to face the challenge of our aging

maritime workforce. Career Connect Washington aims to connect 100,000 young people to

career-oriented learning opportunities and to ensure that students have multiple pathways to

high-demand, high-wage jobs. Included in this initiative is a priority for better equipping CTE

leaders and supporting customized workforce initiatives.

The two-prong goal of designing the action plan to establish a Career Launch Maritime High

School and a Maritime Joint Apprenticeship Committee directly responds to these legislative

priorities. Our action plan will include building a curriculum that targets the development of skills

in youth that are not only needed for a successful secondary and post-secondary education but

also for maritime apprenticeships and careers. This action plan will be guided by providing youth

opportunities to develop the skills necessary for a successful future according to the following

standards:

● Washington State Board of Education Graduation Requirements

(https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/graduation/graduation-

requirements/graduation-pathways-toolkit) All youth will develop the skills and

competencies necessary to meet their Washington State High School graduation

requirements.

● Common Core Standards (http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/) The

Common Core State Standards are research- and evidence-based learning goals at

each grade level to help prepare students for college, career and life.

● Next Generation Science Standards (https://www.nextgenscience.org/) The Next

Generation Science Standards are a set of research-based K–12 educational science

standards that prepare youth for college, careers and citizenship. Scientific literacy is

at the heart of America's ability to continue innovating, leading, and creating jobs for

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

prepare for success in college and 21st-century careers.

● Washington State Learning Standards: Integrated Environmental and Sustainability

(https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/resources-subject-area/environment-

sustainability/integrated-environmental-and) These standards describe what all

students should know and be able to do in the area of Environmental and

Sustainability Education. Consistent with the law governing environmental education

in Washington State, these standards are intended to be integrated into core content

areas and across all grade levels. These standards are particularly relevant for

maritime education and our blue economy that depends on sustainable practices and

ocean ecosystem health.

● National Maritime Center (https://www.dco.uscg.mil/national_maritime_center/) The

National Maritime Center is a world class credentialing program that ensures a safe,

secure, economically viable and environmentally sound Marine Transportation System

manned by fully qualified US mariners. As a maritime high school, we will target skills

needed for our youth to meet the credentialing requirements of the US Coast Guard

National Maritime Center.

● World of Work Inventory (WOWI) assessment (https://www.wowi.com/) Persons

entering an apprenticeship must have completed the World of Work Inventory

(WOWI) assessment. WOWI is a scientifically developed, objective assessment that

incorporates three dimensions to uncover optimal career matches.

● Superintendent of Public Instruction Multiple Pathways to Graduation (House Bill

1599) https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/graduation/graduation-

requirements/multiple-pathways-graduation-house-bill-1599) Starting with the class

of 2020, students have an expanded number of ways to show that they are ready for

the next step after high school, a primary new pathway being a CTE pathway. Our

sequence of courses will provide the skills necessary to lead to employment,

postsecondary education and/or an apprenticeship.