SB 5581-S - DIGEST
(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)

Provides that, beginning with the 2008-09 academic year, the higher education coordinating board shall award full tuition scholarships to students graduating from public and approved private high schools under chapter 28A.195 RCW who meet the requirements of this act, if the student pursues an undergraduate degree in a mathematics or science-related field and who qualify for a scholarship under the ranking system developed by the board.

Declares that the scholarships may only be used for undergraduate coursework beginning in the student's second year at accredited institutions of higher education in the state of Washington, except that the scholarships may be used for undergraduate coursework at Oregon institutions of higher education that are located in counties bordering Washington state.

Requires the higher education coordinating board to develop a ranking system to determine priority of the award of the mathematics/science scholarship. The ranking system shall consider the following factors: (1) The first year of course selection at institutions of higher education by the applicant. Applications shall be ranked higher based on the number of mathematics and science classes that the applicant enrolled and completed;

(2) The grade point average of the applicant in the first year at an institution of higher education; and

(3) Other criteria that the higher education coordinating board deems appropriate.