SB 5077 - DIGEST

Finds that: (1) The racial and ethnic diversity of the population of Washington is increasing;

(2) Employers' demand for well-educated and well-trained graduates of all ethnic backgrounds is increasing;

(3) Special efforts should be made to increase the participation of people of color in higher education programs;

(4) Some of Washington's students of color would benefit from an opportunity to study in specialized programs or institutions of higher education located in other states;

(5) The state could benefit by creating pilot projects that study creative, cost-effective ways to meet the postsecondary education needs of Washington's students; and

(6) Historically Black colleges enroll and graduate the majority of African-American professionals and Ph.D. candidates in the United States.

Declares an intent to direct the higher education coordinating board to establish a pilot project that permits a limited number of students to use their state need grant awards to study at Morehouse College, Howard University, Spelman College, Grambling State University, and Tuskegee University.

Creates the historically Black college fund pilot project.

Requires the higher education coordinating board to: (1) Administer the pilot project;

(2) Permit up to one hundred needy Washington residents domiciled in Washington for at least one year before enrollment to use their state need grant awards if the students are enrolled half-time or more in Morehouse College, Howard University, Spelman College, Grambling State University, or Tuskegee University;

(3) Limit participation in the pilot project to no more than a total of one hundred students during the course of the project; and

(4) Report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature on the results of the pilot project.

Expires the pilot project on June 30, 2014.

Expires the duties of the higher education coordinating board relating to the pilot project on June 30, 2014.