State financial aid/credits

AN ACT Relating to restoring state financial aid assistance to a 1
maximum of 125 percent of credits needed to graduate; amending RCW 2
28B.118.010, 28B.118.005, and 28B.117.030; reenacting and amending 3
RCW 28B.92.200; adding a new section to chapter 28B.77 RCW; and 4
creating a new section. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
Sec. 1. RCW 28B.92.200 and 2024 c 323 s 1 and 2024 c 116 s 1 are 7
each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 8
(1) The Washington college grant program is created to provide a 9
statewide free college program for eligible participants and greater 10
access to postsecondary education for Washington residents. The 11
Washington college grant program is intended to increase the number 12
of high school graduates and adults that can attain a postsecondary 13
credential and provide them with the qualifications needed to compete 14
for job opportunities in Washington. 15
(2) The office shall implement and administer the Washington 16
college grant program and is authorized to establish rules necessary 17
for implementation of the program. 18
(3) The legislature shall appropriate funding for the Washington 19
college grant program. Allocations must be made on the basis of 20
estimated eligible participants enrolled in eligible institutions of 21
S-1855.3
SENATE BILL 5789
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senator Gildon
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higher education or apprenticeship programs. All eligible students 1
are entitled to a Washington college grant beginning in academic year 2
2020-21. 3
(4) The office shall award Washington college grants to all 4
eligible students beginning in academic year 2020-21.5
(5) To be eligible for the Washington college grant, students 6
must meet the following requirements: 7
(a)(i) Demonstrate financial need under RCW 28B.92.205;8
(ii) Receive one or more of the following types of public 9
assistance: 10
(A) Aged, blind, or disabled assistance benefits under chapter 11
74.62 RCW; 12
(B) Essential needs and housing support program benefits under 13
RCW 43.185C.220; or 14
(C) Pregnant women assistance program financial grants under RCW 15
74.62.030; ((or))16
(iii) Be a Washington high school student in the 10th, 11th, or 17
12th grade whose parent or legal guardian is receiving one or more of 18
the types of public assistance listed in (a)(ii) of this subsection 19
and have received a certificate confirming eligibility from the 20
office in accordance with RCW 28B.92.225; or 21
(iv) Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, be a Washington high 22
school student in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade who is a member of an 23
assistance unit receiving benefits under the Washington basic food 24
program in chapter 74.04 RCW or the Washington food assistance 25
program established under RCW 74.08A.120; 26
(b)(i) Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment for at least three 27
quarter credits or the equivalent semester credits at an institution 28
of higher education in Washington as defined in RCW 28B.92.030; or29
(ii) Be enrolled in a registered apprenticeship program approved 30
under chapter 49.04 RCW; 31
(c) Be a resident student as defined in RCW 28B.15.012(2) (a) 32
through (e); 33
(d) File an annual application for financial aid as approved by 34
the office; and 35
(e) Must not have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from a 36
postsecondary institution. 37
(6) Washington college grant eligibility may not extend beyond 38
((six)) five years or ((150)) 125 percent of the published length of 39
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the program in which the student is enrolled or the credit or clock-1
hour equivalent. 2
(7) Institutional aid administrators shall determine whether a 3
student eligible for the Washington college grant in a given academic 4
year may remain eligible for the ensuing year if the student's family 5
income increases by no more than three percent. 6
(8) Qualifications for receipt and renewal include maintaining 7
satisfactory academic progress toward completion of an eligible 8
program as determined by the office and established in rule.9
(9) Should a recipient terminate his or her enrollment for any 10
reason during the academic year, the unused portion of the grant 11
shall be returned to the state educational grant fund by the 12
institution of higher education according to the institution of 13
higher education's policy for issuing refunds, except as provided in 14
RCW 28B.92.070. 15
(10) An eligible student enrolled on a part-time basis shall 16
receive a prorated portion of the Washington college grant for any 17
academic period in which he or she is enrolled on a part-time basis.18
(11) The Washington college grant is intended to be used to meet 19
the costs of postsecondary education for students with financial 20
need. The student shall be awarded all need-based financial aid for 21
which the student qualifies as determined by the institution.22
(12) Students and participating institutions of higher education 23
shall comply with all the rules adopted by the council for the 24
administration of this chapter. 25
Sec. 2. RCW 28B.118.010 and 2024 c 323 s 2 are each amended to 26
read as follows: 27
The office of student financial assistance shall design the 28
Washington college bound scholarship program in accordance with this 29
section and in alignment with the Washington college grant program in 30
chapter 28B.92 RCW unless otherwise provided in this section. The 31
right of an eligible student to receive a college bound scholarship 32
vest upon enrollment in the program that is earned by meeting the 33
requirements of this section as it exists at the time of the 34
student's enrollment under subsection (2) of this section.35
(1) "Eligible students" are those students who:36
(a) Qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.37
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(i) If a student qualifies in the seventh or eighth grade, the 1
student remains eligible even if the student does not receive free or 2
reduced-price lunches thereafter. 3
(ii) Beginning in the 2019-20 academic year, if a student 4
qualifies for free or reduced-price lunches in the ninth grade and 5
was previously ineligible during the seventh or eighth grade while he 6
or she was a student in Washington, the student is eligible for the 7
college bound scholarship program; 8
(b) Are dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW and:9
(i) In grade seven through 12; or 10
(ii) Are between the ages of 18 and 21 and have not graduated 11
from high school; or 12
(c) Were dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW and were adopted 13
between the ages of 14 and 18 with a negotiated adoption agreement 14
that includes continued eligibility for the Washington state college 15
bound scholarship program pursuant to RCW 74.13A.025.16
(2)(a) Every eligible student shall be automatically enrolled by 17
the office of student financial assistance, with no action necessary 18
by the student, student's family, or student's guardians.19
(b) Eligible students and the students' parents or guardians 20
shall be notified of the student's enrollment in the Washington 21
college bound scholarship program and the requirements for award of 22
the scholarship by the office of student financial assistance. To the 23
maximum extent practicable, an eligible student must acknowledge 24
enrollment in the college bound scholarship program and receipt of 25
the requirements for award of the scholarship. 26
(c) The office of the superintendent of public instruction and 27
the department of children, youth, and families must provide the 28
office of student financial assistance with a list of eligible 29
students when requested. The office of student financial assistance 30
must determine the most effective methods, including timing and 31
frequency, to notify eligible students of enrollment in the 32
Washington college bound scholarship program. The office of student 33
financial assistance must take reasonable steps to ensure that 34
eligible students acknowledge enrollment in the college bound 35
scholarship program and receipt of the requirements for award of the 36
scholarship. The office of student financial assistance shall also 37
make available to every school district information, brochures, and 38
posters to increase awareness and to enable school districts to 39
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notify eligible students directly or through school teachers, 1
counselors, or school activities. 2
(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, an 3
eligible student must: 4
(a)(i) Graduate from a public high school under RCW 28A.150.010, 5
an approved private high school under chapter 28A.195 RCW in 6
Washington, or have received home-based instruction under chapter 7
28A.200 RCW; and 8
(ii) For eligible students enrolling in a postsecondary 9
educational institution for the first time beginning with the 2023-24 10
academic year, graduate with at least a "C" average for consideration 11
of direct admission to a public or private four-year institution of 12
higher education; 13
(b) Have no felony convictions; 14
(c) Be a resident student as defined in RCW 28B.15.012(2) (a) 15
through (e); and 16
(d) Have a family income that does not exceed 65 percent of the 17
state median family income at the time of high school graduation.18
(4)(a) An eligible student who is a resident student under RCW 19
28B.15.012(2)(e) must also provide the institution, as defined in RCW 20
28B.15.012, an affidavit indicating that the individual will file an 21
application to become a permanent resident at the earliest 22
opportunity the individual is eligible to do so and a willingness to 23
engage in any other activities necessary to acquire citizenship, 24
including but not limited to citizenship or civics review courses.25
(b) For eligible students as defined in subsection (1)(b) and (c) 26
of this section, a student may also meet the requirement in 27
subsection (3)(a) of this section by receiving a high school 28
equivalency certificate as provided in RCW 28B.50.536.29
(5)(a) For students attending two or four-year institutions of 30
higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, the value of the award 31
shall be (i) the difference between the student's tuition and 32
required fees, less the value of any state-funded grant, scholarship, 33
or waiver assistance the student receives; (ii) plus five hundred 34
dollars for books and materials. 35
(b) For students attending private four-year institutions of 36
higher education in Washington, the award amount shall be the 37
representative average of awards granted to students in public 38
research universities in Washington or the representative average of 39
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awards granted to students in public research universities in 1
Washington in the 2014-15 academic year, whichever is greater.2
(c) For students attending private vocational schools in 3
Washington, the award amount shall be the representative average of 4
awards granted to students in public community and technical colleges 5
in Washington or the representative average of awards granted to 6
students in public community and technical colleges in Washington in 7
the 2014-15 academic year, whichever is greater. 8
(6) Eligible students must enroll no later than the fall term, as 9
defined by the institution of higher education, one academic year 10
following high school graduation. ((College bound scholarship 11
eligibility may not extend beyond six years or 150 percent of the 12
published length of the program in which the student is enrolled or 13
the credit or clock-hour equivalent )) Eligible students may receive 14
no more than four full time years' worth of scholarship awards within 15
five years after graduating from high school. 16
(7) Institutions of higher education shall award the student all 17
need-based and merit-based financial aid for which the student would 18
otherwise qualify. The Washington college bound scholarship is 19
intended to replace unmet need, loans, and, at the student's option, 20
work-study award before any other grants or scholarships are reduced.21
(8) The first scholarships shall be awarded to students 22
graduating in 2012. 23
(9) The eligible student has a property right in the award, but 24
the state of Washington retains legal ownership of tuition units 25
awarded as scholarships under this chapter until the tuition units 26
are redeemed. These tuition units shall remain separately held from 27
any tuition units owned under chapter 28B.95 RCW by a Washington 28
college bound scholarship recipient. 29
(10) The scholarship award must be used within five years of 30
receipt. Any unused scholarship tuition units revert to the 31
Washington college bound scholarship account.32
(11) Should the recipient terminate his or her enrollment for any 33
reason during the academic year, the unused portion of the 34
scholarship tuition units shall revert to the Washington college 35
bound scholarship account. 36
Sec. 3. RCW 28B.118.005 and 2024 c 323 s 3 are each amended to 37
read as follows: 38
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The legislature intends to inspire and encourage all Washington 1
students to dream big by creating a guaranteed four-year tuition 2
scholarship program for students from low-income families who enroll 3
within one year of high school graduation. The legislature finds 4
that, too often, financial barriers prevent many of the brightest 5
students from considering college as a future possibility. Often the 6
cost of tuition coupled with the complexity of finding and applying 7
for financial aid is enough to prevent a student from even applying 8
to college. Many students become disconnected from the education 9
system early on and may give up or drop out before graduation. It is 10
the intent of the legislature to alert students early in their 11
educational career to the options and opportunities available beyond 12
high school. 13
Sec. 4. RCW 28B.117.030 and 2024 c 323 s 4 are each amended to 14
read as follows: 15
(1) The office shall design and, to the extent funds are 16
appropriated for this purpose, implement, passport to careers with 17
two programmatic pathways: The passport to college promise program 18
and the passport to apprenticeship opportunities program. Both 19
programs offer supplemental scholarship and student assistance for 20
students who were under the care of the state foster care system, 21
tribal foster care system, or federal foster care system, and 22
verified unaccompanied youth or young adults who have experienced 23
homelessness. 24
(2) The office shall convene and consult with an advisory 25
committee to assist with program design and implementation. The 26
committee shall include but not be limited to former foster care and 27
unaccompanied homeless youth and their advocates; representatives 28
from the state board for community and technical colleges, public and 29
private agencies that assist current and former foster care 30
recipients and unaccompanied youth or young adults experiencing 31
homelessness in their transition to adulthood; student support 32
specialists from public and private colleges and universities; the 33
state workforce training and education coordinating board; the 34
employment security department; and the state apprenticeship council.35
(3) To the extent that sufficient funds have been appropriated 36
for this purpose, a student is eligible for assistance under this 37
section if he or she: 38
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(a)(i) Was in the care of the state foster care system, tribal 1
foster care system, or federal foster care system in Washington state 2
at any time before age twenty-one subsequent to the following:3
(A) Age fifteen as of July 1, 2018; 4
(B) Age fourteen as of July 1, 2019; and 5
(C) Age thirteen as of July 1, 2020; or 6
(ii) Beginning July 1, 2019, was verified on or after July 1st of 7
the prior academic year as an unaccompanied youth experiencing 8
homelessness, before age twenty-one; 9
(b) Is a resident student, as defined in RCW 28B.15.012(2), or if 10
unable to establish residency because of homelessness or placement in 11
out-of-state foster care under the interstate compact for the 12
placement of children, has residency determined through verification 13
by the office; 14
(c) Is enrolled with or will enroll on at least a half -time basis 15
with an institution of higher education or a registered 16
apprenticeship or recognized preapprenticeship in Washington state by 17
the age of twenty-one; 18
(d) Is making satisfactory academic progress toward the 19
completion of a degree, certificate program, or registered 20
apprenticeship or recognized preapprenticeship, if receiving 21
supplemental scholarship assistance; 22
(e) Has not earned a bachelor's or professional degree; and23
(f) Is not pursuing a degree in theology. 24
(4) The office shall define a process for verifying unaccompanied 25
homeless status for determining eligibility under subsection 26
(3)(a)(ii) of this section. The office may use a letter from the 27
following persons or entities to provide verification: A high school 28
or school district McKinney-Vento liaison; the director or designated 29
staff member of an emergency shelter, transitional housing program, 30
or homeless youth drop-in center; or other similar professional case 31
manager or school employee. Students who have no formal connection 32
with such a professional may also submit to the office an essay that 33
describes their experience with homelessness and the barriers it 34
created to their academic progress. The office may consider this 35
essay in lieu of a letter of homelessness determination and may 36
interview the student if further information is needed to verify 37
eligibility. 38
(5) A passport to college promise program is created.39
(a) A passport to college promise scholarship under this section:40
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(i) Shall not exceed resident undergraduate tuition and fees at 1
the highest -priced public institution of higher education in the 2
state; and 3
(ii) Shall not exceed the student's financial need, when combined 4
with all other public and private grant, scholarship, and waiver 5
assistance the student receives. 6
(b) Passport to college promise scholarship eligibility may not 7
extend beyond ((six)) five years or ((150)) 125 percent of the 8
published length of the program in which the student is enrolled or 9
the credit or clock-hour equivalent. 10
(c) The office, in consultation with and with assistance from the 11
state board for community and technical colleges, shall perform an 12
annual analysis to verify that those institutions of higher education 13
at which students have received a scholarship under this section have 14
awarded the student all available need -based and merit -based grant 15
and scholarship aid for which the student qualifies.16
(d) In designing and implementing the passport to college promise 17
student support program under this section, the office, in 18
consultation with and with assistance from the state board for 19
community and technical colleges, shall ensure that a participating 20
college or university: 21
(i) Has a viable plan for identifying students eligible for 22
assistance under this section, for tracking and enhancing their 23
academic progress, for addressing their unique needs for assistance 24
during school vacations and academic interims, and for linking them 25
to appropriate sources of assistance in their transition to 26
adulthood; 27
(ii) Receives financial and other incentives for achieving 28
measurable progress in the recruitment, retention, and graduation of 29
eligible students. 30
(e) To the extent funds are appropriated for this specific 31
purpose, the office shall contract with at least one nongovernmental 32
entity to provide services to support effective program 33
implementation, resulting in increased postsecondary completion rates 34
for passport scholars. 35
(6) The passport to apprenticeship opportunities program is 36
created. The office shall: 37
(a) Identify students and applicants who are eligible for 38
services under ((RCW 28B.117.030 [this section] )) this section 39
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through coordination of certain agencies as detailed in RCW 1
28B.117.040; 2
(b) Provide financial assistance through the nongovernmental 3
entity or entities in RCW 28B.117.055 for registered apprenticeship 4
and recognized preapprenticeship entrance requirements and 5
occupational-specific costs that does not exceed the individual's 6
financial need; and 7
(c) Extend financial assistance to any eligible applicant for 8
((six)) five years or ((150)) 125 percent of the published length of 9
the program in which the student is enrolled or the credit or clock-10
hour equivalent. 11
(7) Recipients may utilize passport to college promise or 12
passport to apprenticeship opportunities at different times, but not 13
concurrently. The total award an individual may receive in any 14
combination of the programs shall not exceed the equivalent amount 15
that would have been awarded for the individual to attend a public 16
university for six years with the highest annual tuition and state-17
mandated fees in the state. 18
(8) Personally identifiable information shared pursuant to this 19
section retains its confidentiality and may not be further disclosed 20
except as allowed under state and federal law. 21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 28B.77 22
RCW to read as follows: 23
The council shall report to the legislature annually on this act 24
and, as applicable, the impact of chapter 323, Laws of 2024. The 25
report must include degree completion outcomes, including any changes 26
in the number of students utilizing the grant and scholarship 27
programs of this act and chapter 323, Laws of 2024.28
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 1 through 4 of this act apply to 29
eligible students beginning with academic year 2026-27.30
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