BILL REQ. #: H-0622.2
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/01/13. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to aligning the higher education financial aid process with in-state tuition requirements; amending RCW 28B.92.010 and 28B.92.060; and reenacting and amending RCW 28B.118.010.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 28B.92.010 and 2004 c 275 s 34 are each amended to
read as follows:
The purposes of this chapter are to establish the principles upon
which the state financial aid programs will be based and to establish
the state of Washington state need grant program, thus assisting
financially needy or disadvantaged students domiciled in Washington to
obtain the opportunity of attending an accredited institution of higher
education. State need grants under this chapter are available only to
students who are resident students as defined in RCW 28B.15.012(2) (a)
through (((d))) (e).
Sec. 2 RCW 28B.92.060 and 2012 C 229 s 558 are each amended to
read as follows:
In awarding need grants, the office shall proceed substantially as
follows: PROVIDED, That nothing contained herein shall be construed to
prevent the office, in the exercise of its sound discretion, from
following another procedure when the best interest of the program so
dictates:
(1) The office shall annually select the financial aid award
recipients from among Washington residents applying for student
financial aid who have been ranked according to:
(a) Financial need as determined by the amount of the family
contribution; and
(b) Other considerations, such as whether the student is a former
foster youth, or is a placebound student who has completed an associate
of arts or associate of science degree or its equivalent.
(2) The financial need of the highest ranked students shall be met
by grants depending upon the evaluation of financial need until the
total allocation has been disbursed. Funds from grants which are
declined, forfeited or otherwise unused shall be reawarded until
disbursed, except that eligible former foster youth shall be assured
receipt of a grant. The office, in consultation with four-year
institutions of higher education, the council, and the state board for
community and technical colleges, shall develop award criteria and
methods of disbursement based on level of need, and not solely rely on
a first-come, first-served basis.
(3) A student shall be eligible to receive a state need grant for
up to five years, or the credit or clock hour equivalent of five years,
or up to one hundred twenty-five percent of the published length of
time of the student's program. A student may not start a new associate
degree program as a state need grant recipient until at least five
years have elapsed since earning an associate degree as a need grant
recipient, except that a student may earn two associate degrees
concurrently. Qualifications for renewal will include maintaining
satisfactory academic progress toward completion of an eligible program
as determined by the office. Should the recipient terminate his or her
enrollment for any reason during the academic year, the unused portion
of the grant shall be returned to the state educational grant fund by
the institution according to the institution's own policy for issuing
refunds, except as provided in RCW 28B.92.070.
(4) In computing financial need, the office shall determine a
maximum student expense budget allowance, not to exceed an amount equal
to the total maximum student expense budget at the public institutions
plus the current average state appropriation per student for operating
expense in the public institutions. Any child support payments
received by students who are parents attending less than half-time
shall not be used in computing financial need.
(5)(a) A student who is enrolled in three to six credit-bearing
quarter credits, or the equivalent semester credits, may receive a
grant for up to one academic year before beginning a program that leads
to a degree or certificate.
(b) An eligible student enrolled on a less-than-full-time basis
shall receive a prorated portion of his or her state need grant for any
academic period in which he or she is enrolled on a less-than-full-time
basis, as long as funds are available.
(c) An institution of higher education may award a state need grant
to an eligible student enrolled in three to six credit-bearing quarter
credits, or the semester equivalent, on a provisional basis if:
(i) The student has not previously received a state need grant from
that institution;
(ii) The student completes an application for financial aid
developed by the office or the required free application for federal
student aid;
(iii) The institution has reviewed the student's financial
condition, and the financial condition of the student's family if the
student is a dependent student, and has determined that the student is
likely eligible for a state need grant; and
(iv) The student has signed a document attesting to the fact that
the financial information provided on the application for financial aid
developed by the office or the free application for federal student aid
and any additional financial information provided directly to the
institution is accurate and complete, and that the student agrees to
repay the institution for the grant amount if the student submitted
false or incomplete information.
(6) As used in this section, "former foster youth" means a person
who is at least eighteen years of age, but not more than twenty-four
years of age, who was a dependent of the department of social and
health services at the time he or she attained the age of eighteen.
Sec. 3 RCW 28B.118.010 and 2012 c 229 s 402 and 2012 c 163 s 8
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
The office of student financial assistance shall design the
Washington college bound scholarship program in accordance with this
section and in alignment with the state need grant program in chapter
28B.92 RCW unless otherwise provided in this section.
(1) "Eligible students" are those students who:
(a) Qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. If a student
qualifies in the seventh grade, the student remains eligible even if
the student does not receive free or reduced-price lunches thereafter;
or
(b) Are dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW and:
(i) In grade seven through twelve; or
(ii) Are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one and have not
graduated from high school.
(2) Eligible students shall be notified of their eligibility for
the Washington college bound scholarship program beginning in their
seventh grade year. Students shall also be notified of the
requirements for award of the scholarship.
(3)(a) To be eligible for a Washington college bound scholarship,
a student eligible under subsection (1)(a) of this section must sign a
pledge during seventh or eighth grade that includes a commitment to
graduate from high school with at least a C average and with no felony
convictions. The pledge must be witnessed by a parent or guardian and
forwarded to the office of student financial assistance by mail or
electronically, as indicated on the pledge form.
(b) A student eligible under subsection (1)(b) of this section
shall be automatically enrolled, with no action necessary by the
student or the student's family, and the enrollment form must be
forwarded by the department of social and health services to the
((higher education coordinating board or its successor)) office of
student financial assistance by mail or electronically, as indicated on
the form.
(4)(a) Scholarships shall be awarded to eligible students
graduating from public high schools, approved private high schools
under chapter 28A.195 RCW, or who received home-based instruction under
chapter 28A.200 RCW.
(b) To receive the Washington college bound scholarship, a student
must graduate with at least a "C" average from a public high school or
an approved private high school under chapter 28A.195 RCW in Washington
or have received home-based instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW, must
have no felony convictions, and must be a resident student as defined
in RCW 28B.15.012(2) (a) through (((d))) (e).
(5) A student's family income will be assessed upon graduation
before awarding the scholarship.
(6) If at graduation from high school the student's family income
does not exceed sixty-five percent of the state median family income,
scholarship award amounts shall be as provided in this section.
(a) For students attending two or four-year institutions of higher
education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, the value of the award shall be
(i) the difference between the student's tuition and required fees,
less the value of any state-funded grant, scholarship, or waiver
assistance the student receives; (ii) plus five hundred dollars for
books and materials.
(b) For students attending private four-year institutions of higher
education in Washington, the award amount shall be the representative
average of awards granted to students in public research universities
in Washington.
(c) For students attending private vocational schools in
Washington, the award amount shall be the representative average of
awards granted to students in public community and technical colleges
in Washington.
(7) Recipients may receive no more than four full-time years' worth
of scholarship awards.
(8) Institutions of higher education shall award the student all
need-based and merit-based financial aid for which the student would
otherwise qualify. The Washington college bound scholarship is
intended to replace unmet need, loans, and, at the student's option,
work-study award before any other grants or scholarships are reduced.
(9) The first scholarships shall be awarded to students graduating
in 2012.
(10) The state of Washington retains legal ownership of tuition
units awarded as scholarships under this chapter until the tuition
units are redeemed. These tuition units shall remain separately held
from any tuition units owned under chapter 28B.95 RCW by a Washington
college bound scholarship recipient.
(11) The scholarship award must be used within five years of
receipt. Any unused scholarship tuition units revert to the Washington
college bound scholarship account.
(12) Should the recipient terminate his or her enrollment for any
reason during the academic year, the unused portion of the scholarship
tuition units shall revert to the Washington college bound scholarship
account.