Dual enrollment scholarship

AN ACT Relating to the Washington dual enrollment scholarship; 1
amending RCW 28B.76.730, 43.131.427, and 43.131.428; creating a new 2
section; and making an appropriation. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1)(a) The legislature recognizes the 5
significant benefits of dual enrollment programs like running start, 6
which allow high school students to earn college and high school 7
credit simultaneously. A 2024 research brief from the education 8
research and data center highlights that students who participate in 9
running start complete associate and bachelor's degrees faster and 10
with fewer average credits compared to the statewide average and 11
other dual credit programs.12
(b) The legislature acknowledges that, while running start allows 13
11th and 12th graders the opportunity to attend in-person and online 14
classes at community colleges and some universities without the 15
burden of tuition costs, expenses such as textbooks, transportation, 16
and class materials continue to create barriers to program 17
participation. 18
(2) The legislature recognizes that it created the Washington 19
dual enrollment scholarship pilot program in 2019 to remove financial 20
barriers for running start students at 13 pilot sites. In accordance 21
H-0725.1
HOUSE BILL 1565
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Paul, Pollet, Ramel, Reed, Santos, Doglio, and
Fosse
Read first time 01/23/25. Referred to Committee on Postsecondary
Education & Workforce.
p. 1 HB 1565
with the sunset act, the joint legislative audit and review committee 1
reviewed the program and made the following recommendations: (a) The 2
legislature should continue the dual enrollment scholarship; and (b) 3
the program administrator, the Washington student achievement 4
council, should provide consistent and documented guidance and 5
technical assistance to pilot sites and improve its oversight. The 6
legislature admits that the program ends in 2025 unless reauthorized.7
(3) Therefore, the legislature intends to: (a) Continue the dual 8
enrollment scholarship program and make it available to all running 9
start students; (b) direct the Washington student achievement council 10
to both adopt rules to implement the program and to develop guidance 11
and technical assistance for the program; and (c) expand the uses of 12
the scholarship award. 13
Sec. 2. RCW 28B.76.730 and 2023 c 314 s 3 are each amended to 14
read as follows: 15
(1) The legislature recognizes that dual credit programs reduce 16
both the cost and time of attendance to obtain a postsecondary 17
degree. The legislature intends to reduce barriers and increase 18
access to postsecondary educational opportunities for low-income 19
students by removing the financial barriers for dual enrollment 20
programs for students. 21
(2) The office, in consultation with the participating 22
institutions of higher education and the office of the superintendent 23
of public instruction, shall ((create)) establish and administer the 24
Washington dual enrollment scholarship ((pilot)) program. ((The 25
office shall administer the Washington dual enrollment scholarship 26
pilot program and may adopt rules as necessary.))27
(3) Eligible students are those who meet the following 28
requirements: 29
(a) Qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program , 30
supplemental nutrition assistance program, the college bound 31
scholarship, or the Washington college grant. Eligibility for these 32
programs must be established through attestation or other means 33
established by the office; and34
(b) Are enrolled in one or more dual credit programs, as defined 35
in RCW 28B.15.821, such as running start((; and36
(c) Have at least a 2.0 grade point average)).37
(4) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 38
specific purpose, ((beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, )) the 39
p. 2 HB 1565
office ((may)) shall award scholarships to eligible students. The 1
scholarship award must be as follows for eligible students enrolled 2
in running start: 3
(a) Mandatory fees, as defined in RCW 28A.600.310(((2))) (7), 4
prorated based on credit load; 5
(b) Course fees or laboratory fees as determined appropriate by 6
college or university policies to pay for specified course related 7
costs; 8
(c) A ((textbook)) voucher for required course books, materials, 9
and supplies to be used at the participating institution of higher 10
education's bookstore ((where the student is enrolled. For every 11
credit per quarter the student is enrolled, the student shall receive 12
a textbook voucher for ten dollars, up to a maximum of fifteen 13
credits per quarter, or the equivalent, per year; and14
(d) Apprenticeship)). The amount of the voucher must be 15
determined by the office, in consultation with the state board for 16
community and technical colleges and participating four-year 17
institutions of higher education, based on the cost of course books, 18
materials, and supplies and the total level of funding requests;19
(d) Professional technical program, preapprenticeship program, or 20
apprenticeship program materials as determined appropriate by the 21
college or university to pay for specific course-related material 22
costs, which may include occupation-specific tools, work clothes, 23
rain gear, or boots; and24
(e) If sufficient funding is available after the costs in (a) 25
through (d) of this subsection are covered, a basic needs stipend for 26
food and transportation. The amount of the stipend must be determined 27
by the office, in consultation with the state board for community and 28
technical colleges and participating four-year institutions of higher 29
education. The participating institution of higher education must 30
report to the office the basic needs category for which the stipend 31
was used. 32
(5) The Washington dual enrollment scholarship ((pilot)) program 33
must apply after the fee waivers for low-income students under RCW 34
28A.600.310 are provided for. 35
(6)(a) By January 1, 2026, the office shall adopt rules in 36
accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW to implement the Washington dual 37
enrollment scholarship program. At a minimum, the rules must include 38
requirements for grade point average, income eligibility, and allowed 39
costs and expenses.40
p. 3 HB 1565
(b) To support scholarship utilization, cost and expense 1
invoicing, and implementation of the rules, the office shall develop 2
and periodically update guidance and other technical assistance, 3
which must be made available to the participating institutions of 4
higher education.5
(7) Each participating institution of higher education must 6
provide eligible students with access to the maximum scholarship 7
awards by accurately tracking costs and expenses, adhering to program 8
rules, following established guidelines, and making use of available 9
technical assistance.10
(8) Annually by October 30th, and in accordance with RCW 11
43.01.036, the office shall report to the appropriate committees of 12
the legislature with a summary of the amounts and purposes, including 13
basic needs category, for which scholarships were awarded under 14
subsection (4) of this section.15
(9) As used in this section, "participating institution of higher 16
education" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.600.300.17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of $750,000, or as much thereof as 18
may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 19
2026, and $750,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is 20
appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, from the 21
general fund to the office of student financial assistance provided 22
solely for the Washington dual enrollment scholarship.23
Sec. 4. RCW 43.131.427 and 2019 c 176 s 3 are each amended to 24
read as follows: 25
The Washington dual enrollment scholarship pilot program is 26
terminated July 1, ((2025)) 2032, as provided in RCW 43.131.428.27
Sec. 5. RCW 43.131.428 and 2019 c 176 s 4 are each amended to 28
read as follows: 29
The following acts or parts of acts, as now existing or hereafter 30
amended, are each repealed, effective July 1, ((2026)) 2033:31
RCW 28B.76.730 and 2025 c ... s 2 (section 2 of this act), 2023 c 32
314 s 3, 2021 c 71 s 6, 2020 c 259 s 1, & 2019 c 176 s 1.33
--- END ---
p. 4 HB 1565