HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1232
As Reported by House Committee On:
Postsecondary Education & Workforce
Title: An act relating to enhancing the college bound scholarship program by increasing opportunities for students to attend community and technical colleges.
Brief Description: Enhancing the college bound scholarship program.
Sponsors: Representatives Bergquist, Chambers, Entenman, Slatter, Paul, Ramos, Mena, Street, Riccelli, Pollet, Callan, Hackney, Thai, Reeves, Reed, Ortiz-Self, Kloba, Duerr, Doglio, Morgan, Ramel, Goodman, Tharinger, Lekanoff, Gregerson and Santos.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Postsecondary Education & Workforce: 1/24/23, 1/27/23 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Requires only College Bound Scholarship (CBS) eligible students seeking direct admission to a public or private four-year institution of higher education to graduate with at least a C grade point average.
  • Requires the Education Research and Data Center to annually send CBS data that is submitted by institutions of higher education to the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC).
  • Requires the WSAC to submit an annual legislative report beginning November 1, 2023, on CBS data.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION & WORKFORCE
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 13 members:Representatives Slatter, Chair; Entenman, Vice Chair; Reed, Vice Chair; Waters, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Hansen, Jacobsen, Klicker, Leavitt, McEntire, Paul, Pollet, Schmidt and Timmons.
Minority Report: Without recommendation.Signed by 2 members:Representatives Ybarra, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler.
Staff: Elizabeth Allison (786-7129).
Background:

College Bound Scholarship.

The College Bound Scholarship (CBS) program was established in 2007 to provide guaranteed four-year tuition to students from low-income families.  The first CBS awards were granted to the graduating high school class of 2012.  Eligible students for the CBS include those who:

  • qualify for free or reduced-price lunches in the seventh grade, eighth grade, or in certain circumstances, ninth grade; or
  • are independent from parents or guardians, or are receiving extended foster care services; and
    • are in grades 7 through 12; or
    • are between the ages of 18 and 21 and have not graduated from high school.

 

A student may also be eligible if they were a dependent who was adopted between the ages of 14 and 18 with a negotiated adoption agreement that includes continued eligibility in the CBS program.

 

Beginning in the seventh grade, eligible students are automatically enrolled in the CBS by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC).  Students and parents are notified of the student's eligibility and the scholarship's requirements.  To receive the CBS, a student must graduate from high school with at least a C grade point average, have no felony convictions, and have a family income that does not exceed 65 percent of the state median family income.

 

The CBS recipients who attend public two-year or four-year institutions of higher education receive an award to cover the cost of tuition and fees, minus any state-funded grant, scholarship, or waiver assistance.  The CBS recipient also receives $500 for books and materials.  The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress and may not receive the scholarship for more than four full-time years.

 

All higher education institutions that participate in the CBS program are required to submit certain CBS data to the Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) annually for the purpose of analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of the CBS program.  The WSAC is also required to submit student unit record data for the CBS program to the ERDC. 
Summary of Bill:

For CBS eligible students enrolling in a postsecondary education institution for the first time beginning with the 2023-24 academic year, a C grade point average is required only for those students seeking direct admission to a public or private four-year institution of higher education.

 

Additional data points on grade point averages are added to the information that higher education institutions must submit to the ERDC.  The ERDC must annually send the CBS data that is submitted by the higher education institutions to the WSAC beginning July 1, 2024.  The WSAC must submit an annual legislative report on the CBS data beginning November 1, 2024.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The CBS has been around for over a decade.  The CBS provided hope for students who thought they would not have a chance to go to college due to the cost.  Knowing college could be paid for sparked some students to take high school more seriously.  Over the years folks have looked for ways to increase opportunity to the CBS.  There are students who would have otherwise been eligible for the CBS except they did not meet the C grade point average.  This bill is a good step forward.

 

Washington has a postsecondary attainment goal of 70 percent of the state.  Expanding access to the CBS helps serve the Latino community, where there have been drastic postsecondary enrollment declines.  This leads to a less diverse workforce.  Maybe it's one little push or one opportunity that makes a difference in enrollment. 

 

(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Steve Bergquist, prime sponsor; Yokiko Hayashi-Saguil, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; Heather Hudson, Washington Student Achievement Council; and Angie Hinojos, Centro Cultural Mexicano.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.