Washington State Coalition for International Education
Steering Committee Meeting
December 10, 2003 4:00-5:30 pm

Seattle Central Community Christiansen Room

Agenda

1. Introductions
2. Highlights of 2003 States Institute on International Education (State Team)
   (see 2003 States Institute Report (Word, opens in new window)
3. Action Plan from States Institute and Current Status (State Team)
4. Plans January 22, 2004 Coalition Meeting (Michele)
5. Update on Coalition (Steering Committee)

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Summary

Action Plan from Washington State Team

From the Action Plan drafted by the State Team at the States Institute in DC.

Three most important things to be done in order to close the international gap in our state:

1. Engage our state leadership -- Supt. Terry Bergeson and Gov. Gary Locke.
    
2. Leverage our K-20 technology infrastructure by promoting internationally oriented technology-based programs, such as iEarn (and programs from KCTS).
    
3. Leverage current Teacher of the Year awards by creating international learning opportunities (such as all expense paid international exchanges) for award winners -- who will then have personal experiences with international education.

Three steps to start the process:

1. Contact State Supt. and Governor and request a state-level commission/task force (or committee or work group) to study current state of international education in Washington state and report back at next P-20 International Education Summit (next fall).
    
2. Contact UW Resource Centers, College of Education, Jackson School of International Studies, Dan Evans Center on Reinventing Public Education, as well as WACTE (Heads of Colleges of Education) to involve them in these efforts.
    
3. Hold a "mini Summit" in Spokane in January following the OSPI Winter Conference (Jan 21-22), Share results of the Summit and the States Institute.
    

Current Status of State Team Action Plan (as of 12/10/2003)

• Letters for Supt. Bergeson and Gov. Locke are drafted
• First meeting with UW set up for December 15, with David Hodge, Dean of Arts & Science and Michael Halleran, Dean of Humanities
• Cross-state Coalition meeting on January 22 planned to coincide with OSPI Winter Conference in Spokane
• List of Technology Resources compiled (will be put on the web)
• Meeting about Teacher of the Year award set up at OSPI

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Plans for January 22, 2004 Coalition Meeting

Cross-state video conference in Seattle (at UW Language Learning Center) and in Spokane (ICNE). Coordinating with Sonja Hokanson and David Simmons, in Spokane.

Topics to cover (ideas):

1. Highlights of States Institute 2003 (member of State Team in Seattle)
2. Update on State Social Studies Standards & Assessments (Caleb Perkins, Spokane)
3. iEARN grant for professional development support (Kristi Rennebohm Franz, Spokane)
4. Update on World Languages in WA (Sonja Hokanson, Spokane)
5. Coalition Plans and Updates for 2004 (Steering Committee member, Seattle)
   - Apply for Continuation Grant from Asia Society (Jan/Feb?)
   - Next International Ed Summit -- Olympia in October with NAFSA
6. Next Coalition meeting: April 1, 2004

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Update on Coalition

Follow-up from Summit Survey

Participants who completed the survey rated three proposed next steps as Important to Very Important, and in the following order:

1. Create an advocacy task force to influence policy makers and decision makers.
   Status: We've created the advocacy listserv, with over 55 people signed up.
    
2. Focus on grassroots change (e.g., development of international projects).
   Status: Publishing and disseminating the World Affairs Council's Teaching Resources for International Education (PDF) is the first step. We can promote project opportunities through the news listserv and through collaborations with organizations, such as iEARN (which has just been awarded a contract from U.S. Dept of Education to support professional development using the iEARN model).
    
3. Hold subsequent summits and/or community meetings around the state.
   Status: We are expanding the Coalition meetings to Spokane, beginning with January 22 meeting

Summit in Olympia, in conjunction with NAFSA Conference in October, 2004

David Woodward is working with NAFSA (Association of International Educators) to coordinate a one-day P-20 International Education Summit on the Wednesday before the NAFSA Regional conference in Olympia in October, 2004. We plan to discuss this more fully at the next Steering Committee meeting in mid-January.

Selection of new Steering Committee Chair and Members

Masaru Kibukawa has agreed to chair the Steering Committee. Lili Hein and Loretta Ferguson were invited to join the Steering Committee.

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