washington business
Report: Washington Slipping in
Educational Outcomes Compared to
Other States
Wa s h i n g t o n
s t a t e ’s O p p o rtunity Score
fell three spots
from 24th to 21st
nationally since
October 2015,
according to the
50-state ranking
from Opportunity
Washington released in January.
The data-driven report compares Washington to other states across 16 different metrics in
three categories: Achieve (education), Connect
(transportation and infrastructure) and Employ
(economic vitality).
The most recent report focused on Achieve.
While there was some positive news in increased
fourth-grade reading proficiency and high
school graduation, eighth-grade math achievement moved the state lower in the national
rankings. Science, technology, engineering and
math, or STEM, degree production remained
the same.
As employers continually stress the need for
an education system that prepares the next generation of employees, and in Washington’s case,
high-tech workers, declining math scores in students’ formative years and break-even in STEM
degree production may worry today’s business
leaders, already faced with a skills gap in the
workforce, as they look to innovate and expand
their operations in the future.
The Opportunity Score was first introduced in
the fall of 2015 by WashACE, a diverse coalition
that believes expanded opportunity and shared
prosperity depend on smart policy and strategic investments. The goal is to shed light on the
state’s strengths and to address where improvements need to be made to make Washington a
top 10 state nationally to start a business, work
and live.
For more information on the Opportunity
Score and Opportunity Washington, visit the
website at opportunitywa.org.
Passages: Dick Spady, co-founder of Dick’s Drive-In, dies
at 92
A fixture in the Seattle community, Dick Spady was the namesake
and co-founder of the burger chain Dick’s Drive-In. He passed away
Jan. 10 at the age of 92.
Richard Jack Spady was born in Portland on Oct. 15, 1923. He
worked as a telegraph operator for the Union Pacific Railroad, then
served in the Navy in World War II, attended Oregon State University on the G.I. Bill, and was a commissary officer in the Korean War,
a post which he credited with teaching him a great deal about how
to run a restaurant.
Spady opened the first restaurant location in Wallingford in 1954
with two partners. Dick’s Drive-In, at the time, was a true novelty in
food service — high volume and a limited menu. He later went on to
buy out his partners and open six additional locations.
In 2012, Dick’s Drive-In was declared America’s “Most Life-Changing Burger Joint” in an online Esquire poll, carrying 56 percent of the
vote and besting hamburger heavyweights In-N-Out and Five Guys,
The Seattle Times reports.
It’s well-known that Dick’s Drive-In offers one of the best staff
compensation rates — well above minimum wage — and provides 100
percent employer-sponsored health insurance for full- and part-time
employees. In addition, to date, more than $1 million in college tuition
has been awarded to restaurant employees.
Spady’s phil