WSIPP Board of Directors

... Board of Directors WSIPP’s Board of Directors represents the state legislature, executive branch, and the academic community. The Board governs WSIPP, appoints the WSIPP Director, and reviews and provides oversight for WSIPP’s projects.Click here for a copy of WSIPP's bylaws. ...

Contact WSIPP

... Contact Information Washington State Institute for Public Policy110 Fifth Avenue SE, Suite 214P.O. Box 40999Olympia, WA 98501PHONE: (360) 664-9800Email: institute@wsipp.wa.gov Follow @WAPublicPolicy Request Copies of Publications Electronic versions of our reports can be downloaded from our website at no cost. You may request printed copies of WSIPP reports. Call, mail, or email requests using our contact information. Please be advised that, as an entity within The Evergreen State College, WSIPP adheres to their Public Records Policies and Procedures. Copies of reports or other materials may be charged a fee of 15 cents per page. Directions to WSIPP View Google Map View Bing Map From I-5 North: Take exit 105 towards State Capitol/City Center Go through the roundabout and turn right on Capitol Way S. Turn right onto 5th Ave. SE. WSIPP is located on the left (second story). From I-5 South: Take exit 105-B towards the Port of Olympia. Turn left on 5th Ave. WSIPP is located on the right (second story) just before Capitol Way. WSIPP is located in downtown Olympia at 110 Fifth Avenue SE between Capitol Way and Washington Street. The entrance to WSIPP is on the north side of Fifth Avenue; our offices are located on the first and second floor. For building access, please press the intercom button at the main entrance. ...

Exclusive Adult Jurisdiction

...The 2018 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to assess the impact of changes to the Juvenile Justice Act (JJA), as outlined in E2SSB 6160. To the extent possible, the study should include impacts to community safety, racial disproportionality, recidivism, state expenditures, and youth rehabilitation.

The 2019 Legislature amended WSIPP’s assignment to include an assessment of additional components contained in Sections 2-6 of E2SHB 1646. WSIPP must also conduct a benefit-cost analysis which includes the health impacts and recidivism effects of extending the JJA to include all offenses committed under the age of twenty-one.

A preliminary report was originally due to the legislature by December 1, 2023. In September 2023, the WSIPP Board of Directors voted to shift the deadlines to June 30, 2024. ...

The Needs of Farmworkers

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The 2022 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to conduct a comprehensive study of the needs of farmworkers in the state to help policymakers determine whether those needs are being met by state-administered programs, policies, and statutes. WSIPP must focus on needs related to health and safety in the workplace, payment of wages, and preventing harassment and discrimination of, and retaliation against, farmworkers for asserting their rights regarding health and safety standards, wage and hour laws, and access to services. The information must be based on surveys or interviews conducted by Latino nonprofit agencies with well-established connections to farmworkers.

WSIPP must also examine how relevant state agencies coordinate with each other and federal agencies in enforcing the laws and policies related to farmworkers and review available data and research on programs intended to provide farmworkers access to services and benefits.

A preliminary report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2023, and a final report by June 30, 2025.

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DOC Assessments and Charges

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The 2023 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to review all assessments and charges imposed on individuals incarcerated in Department of Corrections (DOC) facilities and their family members and the effect of assessments and charges on the financial status of incarcerated individuals.

For more information on the items that must be included in WSIPP’s review, please see the study assignment language in the legislation linked below.

The report is due to the governor and the legislature by June 30, 2025.

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Hospital Staffing Standards

...The 2023 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to study hospital staffing standards for direct-care registered nurses and direct-care nursing assistants. As part of the study, WSIPP must review current and historical staffing plans filed with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and describe the following:

• Timeliness and completeness of filed forms;
• Format of filed forms;
• Patient care unit nursing staff assignments related to the maximum number of patients to which a direct care nursing or nursing assistant may be assigned;
• Descriptive statistics on submissions by hospital unit type;
• Trends over time, if any;
• Legal minimum staffing standards for registered nurses and nursing assistants in other jurisdictions; and
• Relevant professional association guidance, recommendations, or best practices.

The report is due to DOH and the legislature by June 30, 2024. ...

Creating Prison to Postsecondary Education Pathways

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The 2021 Legislature passed 2SHB 1044 expanding the types of postsecondary education programs eligible for state funding in the Department of Corrections’ (DOC) incarceration facilities. The bill directs WSIPP to study recidivism, enrollment, and completion rates of incarcerated persons in the postsecondary education system after release from incarceration. The study will use data from DOC, the Washington Student Achievement Council, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. The study must include the following:

• Patterns and effects on post-release enrollment and participation in the community and technical college sector by individuals who, while incarcerated, participated in postsecondary education;
• Differential outcomes for individuals participating in different types of postsecondary education courses, certificates, and degree programs;
• Changes in enrollment and completion of postsecondary education courses, certificate programs, and degree programs due to the expansion in postsecondary education programming; and
• Recidivism outcomes other than incarceration for those individuals who participated in postsecondary education while incarcerated.

A preliminary report is due to the Legislature on October 1, 2024, and a final report is due October 1, 2027.

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Traumatic Brain Injury Services

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The 2023 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to study the potential need for developing specialized long-term services and supports for adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). At a minimum, the study must include the following:

• The demographics of adults with traumatic brain injuries in the state who are anticipated to require long-term services and supports, including an examination of those who are likely to be eligible for Medicaid long-term services and supports;
• The industry standards of providing long-term care services and supports to individuals with traumatic brain injuries; and
• Other states' methods to provide long-term services and support to individuals with TBIs including the rates paid for these services and a description of any specialized facilities established to deliver these services.

The report is due to the governor and the legislature by June 30, 2025. ...

Jail and Juvenile Facility Study

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The 2023 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to conduct a study of the Washington jail system and county juvenile justice facilities. As part of the study, WSIPP will contract with the Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) to survey Washington jail and juvenile detention facilities. For more information on the elements that must be included in the survey, please see the study assignment language in the legislation linked below.

To the extent possible, the report should include the following:

• A longitudinal study of how the county jail and county juvenile detention populations have changed over the last 12 years including, but not limited to, an analysis of demographics, physical and behavioral health issues, number of inmates, and types of convictions;
• An analysis of county jail and county juvenile detention facility survey data provided by the WSAC; and
• An examination of the availability of criminal justice training commission classes for corrections officers.

The report is due to the governor and the legislature by December 1, 2024. ...

Analysis of Transitional Kindergarten Programs

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The 2022 Washington State Legislature directed WSIPP to conduct an analysis of transitional kindergarten programs offered by school districts in Washington State and to evaluate student participation in transitional kindergarten programs. The study must, to the extent feasible given available data, include the following information:

• The number of school districts providing transitional kindergarten programs, including the number of classrooms and students in the program per district;
• The number of children participating in transitional kindergarten programs across the state, disaggregated by demographic information such as race, gender, and income level;
• The number of children participating in transitional kindergarten programs that attended prekindergarten previous to transitional kindergarten;
• The number of children participating in transitional kindergarten who received early learning services through the early childhood education and assistance program;
• The number of children participating in transitional kindergarten with an Individualized Education Program;
• How children are selected and prioritized for enrollment in transitional kindergarten;
• The differences in teacher preparation, certification, and classroom instruction for transitional kindergarten compared to the early childhood education and assistance program; and
• The identification of why school districts offer transitional kindergarten, ECEAP, and other early learning programs, such as traditional or developmental pre-kindergarten; and what funding sources are used.

Additionally, the study must compare the use of transitional kindergarten in Washington State to use in other states, and review any outcome evaluation data available from other states.

A final report is due to the governor, the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families, and the Legislature by December 31, 2023. ...