Walla Walla Trends Newsletter
www.wallawallatrends.com
Spring 2009
Trend News
Walla Walla Trends celebrates one year anniversary
Wallawallatrends.com was launched one year ago, in May 2008. The website is a collaboration between the Port
of Walla Walla and the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis (IPPEA) at EWU, and has since gained much
positive recognition throughout the region as an important and reliable resource for local data and explanations of
their trends. Several key accomplishments have made this a successful first year - this quarterly newsletter being one
of them. Additionally, the site has grown with the addition of new trends and continual updates of existing ones, via
newly released data as well as enhanced explanations. In the next year, we anticipate the addition of at least five new
trends.
CIC announces fall conference
The Community Indicators Consortium (CIC), a national network of individuals and
organizations interested in learning about and implementing community indicators, will hold
their seventh annual international conference at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, WA
from October 1-2, 2009. This year’s theme is “Community Indicators as Tools for Social
Change.” The conference will focus on four facets of effective indicator efforts: From Planning
to Implementation; Creating Partnerships & Crossing Boundaries; Promoting Social Change;
and Integrating Indicators & Performance Measures. There will be discussions within these four
areas as they relate to indicator topics relevant to everyday life. For more information about
the conference and to register online, visit the CIC’s website here.
Walla Walla Regional Vital Signs
The Community Council in Walla Walla, with the help of EWU’s IPPEA, will launch a new website later this year that
will give community members of Columbia and Walla Walla Counties in WA and Milton-Freewater, OR an idea of how
well their region is doing on issues such as childhood poverty and crime rates. The title of the project is Walla Walla
Regional Vital Signs – Quality of Life Indicators. Data for about 36 total indicators will be provided by the IPPEA, then the
Community Council will rate each indicator, providing it with a grade or score ranging from negative to positive based
on a set of criteria set up by the members of the Community Council. This website will differ from Walla Walla Trends
in that, one, it covers a larger geographic region and, two, it rates the indicators in addition to providing the statistical
trends.
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Featured Trends
Three quarters of Walla Walla County seniors graduate on time – better than average but
still declining
No, it’s not the flu, it is a classic case of senioritis. At
least a few cases have popped up recently among Walla
Walla County public high school seniors. Graduation is
just a few weeks away and many students in the County
who haven’t yet been bitten by the senioritis bug will
surely feel it soon; about three fourths of them, to be
more specific. That is roughly how many Walla Walla
County students out of the original class of 2009 will
graduate this year; the other quarter will not be so
lucky.
in 2005. Like the state average graduation rate, the most
recent US rate is below that of the County.
These statistics, which can be seen in indicator 3.8 on
the Walla Walla Trends website, raise a few important
questions about graduation rates. First, why do more
students graduate on time from Walla Walla County
public schools than their cohorts across the State and the
nation? Second, why don’t we see higher percentages of
students graduating on time from Walla Walla County’s
high schools, such as 90 instead of only 75 percent?
Finally, what caused the positive trend to reverse and will
it begin to increase again?
In the spring of 2007, only 75 percent of the students
that began high school in the fall of 2003 graduated.
Sometime during
3.8 Public School On-time Graduation Rates
those four years, the
Unfortunately,
other 25 percent
there are no solid
either fell behind
answers to these
or left school
questions. Ron
altogether. In 2003,
Higgins, the Director
over a third - 36
of Assessment &
percent - did not
Program Evaluation
graduate on time
for Walla Walla Public
with their public
Schools, has worked in
school classmates,
education for over 20
so there have
years. He pointed out
been significant
that there are many
improvements. In
factors that influence
United States
fact, in 2005, over
a student’s educational
Washington State
81 percent of the
experiences and how
Walla Walla County
graduating class
well they will do, and
received their diploma, but the statistic dropped by six
that you cannot just look at high school - what happens in
percentage points the next year.
middle school or earlier can influence their performance
later on. He also said that small communities, like Walla
The trend is similar, although slightly lower, for the
Walla, might have more success at graduating students on
average graduation rate in Washington State public
time because the student-teacher ratio is smaller than in
schools. From 2003 to 2005, the number of students
many of the schools found in larger cities. Additionally,
graduating on time increased dramatically, from 66
Higgins called attention to the tendency of the on-time
to 74 percent, but then dropped to 70 percent in
graduation rates to fluctuate over time - over the past
2006. However, unlike in the County, the State average
decade or so, the rates in Walla Walla have varied by
increased again between 2006 and 2007, to 73 percent.
about five percent above or below where they are now.
Overall, both the County and the State saw graduation
He said that schools change graduation requirements or
rates rise over the five years from less than two thirds
testing procedures; they may add new classes or change
to roughly three quarters of students graduating in 2007.
certain programs and these things can all affect student
performance.
Data for the national average graduation rates are only
available until 2005, so comparisons that are more
Some studies have been done to try to find out what
recent cannot be made, but the trend was increasing
causes a student to fall behind or drop out of high
slightly from 74 percent in 2003 to almost 75 percent
school and, as Ron Higgins suggested, they found that the
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answer is quite complicated. One statistic indicated
that school districts experiencing higher poverty levels
also see higher dropout rates. Other reports cite a
general disconnect by students towards the educational
environment they find themselves in. Some students
are expelled while others simply give up and leave
due to poor grades or not enough credits to finish on
time. Other suggestions are that these students do not
have enough family support and/or are experiencing
financial hardships at home. Finally, some of these
students may be suffering from illnesses (physical and/
or psychological), or have other personal and social
issues that get in the way of school. Higgins says that
ideally, when a student chooses to quit high school, they
do an exit interview where they give specific reasons
for their departure. However, the reality is that many
students who drop out do so with no advance notice to
the schools, do not give a reason when they leave, and
cannot be found to question later on.
Why do we care
how many students
complete high
school? Failure
to graduate is an
effective roadblock
to furthering one’s
educational and
social position in life.
If we assume that
this year in Walla
Walla County will be
similar to 2007, 25
percent or roughly
one in four students
will not receive a
diploma this June.
students not graduating as well. Studies suggest that
societies with a higher population of people with less than
a high school education are more likely to experience
higher levels of poverty and crime than communities
who graduate more students. Higher numbers of people
without a high school or college education also leads to
fewer qualified job candidates for local employers. Finally,
schools and school districts with lower graduation rates
could see reductions in funding tied to performance.
It is due to these consequences that high school
graduation rates are such a popular discussion topic, here
as well as in many other communities. Graduation rates
have been singled out as an important statistic to monitor,
and to improve, by many community leaders including
those in public safety, social services, local businesses and
especially education. As we continue to track the trend
in Walla Walla County, one can hope that the result of
besting the State and national averages continues.
2.18 Hotel Room Demand and Occupancy Rates
More heads in
beds in Walla
Walla County
than ever before
What draws people
to spend a night in
one of Walla Walla
County’s hotels, inns,
or B&Bs? What type
of activities are they
Total Room Nights (000s), Walla Walla County
coming to participate
Percent Occupancy, Walla Walla County
in and who are they?
Percent Occupancy, Kootenai County ID
These are the kinds
Percent Occupancy, Deschutes County OR (Bend)
of questions local
Percent Occupancy, Benton County WA
lodging facilities
and other tourism
True, a few will
related
businesses
would
like
to
know
the answers to.
take a couple of extra years to graduate. And some
Some common visitors are likely parents of local college
might pick up a GED or earn a diploma through the
students, tourists interested in the area’s history, people
Alternative Education Program at the Community
interested in touring wineries, visiting families, or those
College. However, a large minority will be less prepared
simply looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of
for life after high school. They will not be able to pursue
big city life.
a college education and will have a harder time finding
a job. When and if they do become employed, it likely
will be in a job that does not pay enough or include
enough basic health and financial benefits to support a
successful, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle for the individual
and, if they have one, their family. In addition, there are
social stigmas associated with having not graduated from
high school that can make life more difficult.
Communities experience hardships as a result of
One way to measure how well the local area serves these
individuals is to look at how many rooms are booked at
local hotels each year. As shown in indicator 2.18 on the
Walla Walla Trends website, in the past six years, from
2003 to 2008, the number of hotel room night stays in
Walla Walla County has increased by almost 30 percent. In
2003, there were 125,099 hotel rooms booked, compared
with 160,243 in 2008. Indeed, more people are visiting the
County than ever before.
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/
built with over 100 rooms. It is possible that demand will
eventually catch up to the supply, but only if the demand
Ron Anderson, General Manager of the Marcus
continues to trend upward and the building pace of new
Whitman Hotel & Conference Center in Walla Walla,
linked most of this increased demand to the remarkable
lodging facilities slows enough for it to catch up.
growth of Walla Walla’s wine industry and its popularity
among wine enthusiasts. Anderson added that people
visit the area because of the weather, excellent
Fewer people in Walla Walla County are
healthcare, outdoor recreation and the local colleges. In
living below the poverty line
fact, Money magazine named Walla Walla as the number
one retirement community in the US in 2006. Ratings
Sometimes, even a small change in a statistic can be
were based on several quality of life indicators and
extremely significant for the people affected. This is
included the wineries as a main attraction.
one such case. As indicator 2.13 on Walla Walla Trends
More visitors lead to more outside revenue being
illustrates, from 2005 to 2007, there was a 6.5 percent
injected into the local economy. This can be a big
decrease in the number of people, of all ages, in Walla
boost for local businesses, especially places that offer
Walla County living in poverty - down to 17.4 from 18.6
lodging and dining options for tourists. It can open up
percent. Those lucky people are no longer considered
opportunities for new hotels and inns to be built, which
to be under the poverty line and are living a little easier
creates more jobs and added local revenue. There is
these days.
a potential down side to this however. Because hotels
and the entire
The Federal poverty
2.13Poverty Levels byAge Group
tourism industry
level (FPL) is an
are dependent
income threshold
on an increasing
which varies by family
number of tourists
size and age makecontinuing to visit
up, below which a
the County, if the
household unit is said
supply becomes
to live in poverty.
more than the
Although some studies
demand, a higher
suggest that most
number of hotel
families actually require
rooms will sit
at least double the FPL
empty and unused.
income to meet their
basic needs, a decrease
All Ages, United States
Under 18, United States
That is exactly
in the number living
Under 18, Washington State
All Ages Washington State
what has happened
below the FPL
Under 18, Walla Walla County
All Ages, Walla Walla County
in the past few
threshold is definitely
years. While
a good sign for the
room demand in Walla Walla County has continued
community.
to increase, the occupancy rate (demand for rooms
measured against the supply of rooms) first increased
Poverty rates haven’t just gone down within the County
and then, more recently, begun a downward trend.
either. The downward trend extends across Washington
Occupancy rates for 2008 are higher than in 2003 but
State and nationwide, although by a smaller margin than
they have experienced a decline beginning in 2007.
what has been observed in Walla Walla County. The share
In 2006 the rate of occupancy was 60.6 percent, the
of people living below the FPL in WA State declined from
highest in six years of measuring. In 2007 the rate
11.9 percent in 2005 to 11.4 percent in 2007. Across the
dropped to 58.3 percent, and by 2008 it was down to
US, the share decreased from 13.3 to 13 percent from
53.8 percent.
2005 to 2007. Again, these changes are not major, but
they are a step in the right direction, and possibly, proof
Why has occupancy decreased in the last two years
that policies put into place to reduce poverty are working.
even though more people are visiting the area? There
are simply more hotel rooms available than there used
Taking a closer look at poverty rates however, brings to
to be. According to Anderson, beginning in late 2007, 36
light a more serious aspect of the poverty problem. In
more rooms were added to the Marcus Whitman Hotel.
2007, 22 percent of children (age 18 or younger) in Walla
He added that later in 2008, a new Hampton Inn was
Walla County were considered to be living below the FPL.
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That is almost 5 percent higher than the rate for all ages
in the County. This is down slightly from where it was
two years prior but still quite high, and the decrease
seen for the youth population has been less significant
than in the general population. The story is similar,
although less severe, for the State and the US: in WA
State, 15 percent of children were living in poverty in
2007, down only slightly from 15.1 percent in 2005; and
nationwide, 18 percent of children were living below the
FPL in 2007, compared to 18.5 percent in 2005.
When individuals live at or below the poverty level,
meeting basic needs such as affording adequate shelter,
having enough food, and paying bills becomes more
difficult. Stress levels are heightened and relationships
with others can become strained. When children are
living in poverty, however, the affects are more internal.
The stresses of living below the poverty line can hinder
a child’s ability to effectively learn and can contribute
to poor mental and physical health and development.
The affects of poverty can also lead to social, emotional,
and behavioral problems that can become long-term,
especially when the child is exposed to poverty at a
young age or for long periods of time.
Why, does Walla Walla’s population experience higher
poverty rates than other communities in Washington
and across the US? Walla Walla County faces lower
average wages and has a smaller economy than larger
cities like Spokane, where the poverty rate is lower. Dr.
Pam Cress, Dean of the School of Social Work at Walla
Walla University, says that another possible explanation
is the presence of the Washington State Penitentiary
within Walla Walla County. Inmates who are transferred
here often do not come alone; their spouses and children
regularly accompany them to the region. Dr. Cress said, of
the inmates’ families, that they “...tend to be families who
are already in poverty when they get here,” because they
come with little or no resources. These factors certainly
influence the County’s poverty situation but by how
much? It is hard to be certain about the reasons for the
higher levels of poverty in Walla Walla County, but the key
here is that the rate is going down. Nonetheless, finding
out why it is high in the first place could help to prevent a
future increase.
Public leaders and officials and other interested parties
within the County would do well to monitor these
poverty trends, especially those of the youth population.
That will help ensure poverty rates will maintain the
current downward trend so that more people in the
community can continue to have opportunities to lead
healthy, happy, and safe lives.
Trends in Action
Interview with Michael Davidson, President and CEO of Tourism
Walla Walla
Michael Davidson is the President and CEO of Tourism Walla Walla, a valuable
resource for visitors that can be found on the web at www.wallawalla.org. We
recently asked Mr. Davidson a few questions about how he uses the Walla Walla
Trends website and what it has to offer the local Community. Our questions and his
responses follow.
Q:What are the trends that Tourism Walla Walla especially pays attention to?
A: Tourism Walla Walla is most interested in tracking:
• Hotel Occupancy rates
• Room Demand (number of room nights sold)
• Hotel Revenue
• Room Tax Revenue
Q: Have you followed the development of the Walla Walla Trends project?
A: Tourism Walla Walla was an early supporter of the trends project from day one. We met a number of times with
representatives from Eastern Washington University during the development process to provide input into which
trends were most important to the tourism industry in the Valley.
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Q: How do you think the web site can be used by the residents of Walla Walla?
A: To quote Daniel Patrick Moynihan “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own fact”. I believe that
the Walla Walla Trends and other Community Indicators web sites have added to the democratization of data. With
more than 90 indicators on the Walla Walla Trends web site, residents are able to zero in on reliable unbiased data that
is of importance to them.
Q: Do you see the site used by visitors in any way?
A: Not visitors but I have sent many individuals who have expressed an interest in starting businesses in the Valley to
the site. The feedback from these individuals has been very positive.
Q: From your knowledge of the various trends tracked by the site, which ones jump out for you?
A: Being a numbers guy I enjoyed surfing through the site just to learn about various indicators. I would have to say
that I tend to look at the economic numbers the most. One area that jumps out to me is the Number of Art Related
Businesses in Walla Walla. Walla Walla is far above the Washington State average for art related businesses and our
growth since 1998 indicates that the “arts” is a growth industry for Walla Walla.
Q: Any final comments about the future of Walla Walla Trends or sites like it?
A: It is my hope that the Walla Walla Trends web site will continue to provide pertinent information that the
community can use to make very informed decisions about our future.
News from the Port
Port Updates Largest Employers List
The Port of Walla Walla has recently updated its largest employers list for Walla Walla County. The update contains
the 48 largest employers in the county. The survey reflects a diversified employment base which is helping Walla
Walla weather the economic downturn better than most communities in the Pacific Northwest. Seven of the top ten
employers are private business. The largest private employer is Broetje Orchards with 2,852 employees. The largest
public employer is the Washington State Penitentiary with 1,245 employees. Total employment counts include both full
time and part time employees. The Port strives to list all employers with 50 or more employees. The updated list can
be accessed by clicking here.
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