BILL REQ. #:  S-1622.2 

READ FIRST TIME 03/01/13.   

     AN ACT Relating to allowing nonprofit institutions recognized by the state of Washington to be eligible to participate in the state need grant program; amending RCW 28B.92.030, 28B.105.020, 28B.133.010, and 28B.133.050; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that Western Governors University-Washington, recognized by the state of Washington under RCW 28B.77.240, serves a student population that is nontraditional and geographically diverse. Enrollment in Western Governors University-Washington has grown steadily since 2011 reaching over four thousand three hundred students. These students represent an average age of thirty-seven, sixty-nine percent of whom are classified as underserved, including low-income, ethnic minority, rural, and first-generation students.
     The legislature also finds that tuition at Western Governors University-Washington has remained static since 2008 at five thousand seven hundred eighty dollars per year.
     Further, the legislature finds that the population served by Western Governors University-Washington deserves to have access to affordable postsecondary education, including baccalaureate degree-granting institutions. Therefore, the legislature intends to provide access to the state need grant program for eligible students attending Western Governors University-Washington.
     The legislature also intends that Western Governors University-Washington comply with all reporting requirements established by the student achievement council for state need grant participation, including financial information about students, enrollment, graduation and placement rates, and the institution's standing with its accrediting agency, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and the United States department of education.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.92.030 and 2012 c 229 s 557 are each amended to read as follows:
     As used in this chapter:
     (1) "Council" means the student achievement council.
     (2) "Disadvantaged student" means a posthigh school student who by reason of adverse cultural, educational, environmental, experiential, familial or other circumstances is unable to qualify for enrollment as a full-time student in an institution of higher education, who would otherwise qualify as a needy student, and who is attending an institution of higher education under an established program designed to qualify the student for enrollment as a full-time student.
     (3) "Financial aid" means loans and/or grants to needy students enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student at institutions of higher education.
     (4) "Institution" or "institutions of higher education" means:
     (a) Any public university, college, community college, or technical college operated by the state of Washington or any political subdivision thereof; or
     (b) Any other university, college, school, or institute in the state of Washington offering instruction beyond the high school level ((which)) that is a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the council for the purposes of this section((: PROVIDED, That)) and that agrees to and complies with program rules adopted pursuant to RCW 28B.92.150. However, any institution, branch, extension or facility operating within the state of Washington ((which)) that is affiliated with an institution operating in another state must be:
     (i) A separately accredited member institution of any such accrediting association((, or));
     (ii) A branch of a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the council for purposes of this section, that is eligible for federal student financial aid assistance and has operated as a nonprofit college or university delivering on-site classroom instruction for a minimum of twenty consecutive years within the state of Washington, and has an annual enrollment of at least seven hundred full-time equivalent students((: PROVIDED FURTHER, That no institution of higher education shall be eligible to participate in a student financial aid program unless it agrees to and complies with program rules and regulations adopted pursuant to RCW 28B.92.150)); or
     (iii) A nonprofit institution recognized by the state of Washington as provided in RCW 28B.77.240.
     (5) "Needy student" means a posthigh school student of an institution of higher education who demonstrates to the office the financial inability, either through the student's parents, family and/or personally, to meet the total cost of board, room, books, and tuition and incidental fees for any semester or quarter. "Needy student" also means an opportunity internship graduate as defined by RCW 28C.18.162 who enrolls in a postsecondary program of study as defined in RCW 28C.18.162 within one year of high school graduation.
     (6) "Office" means the office of student financial assistance.
     (7) "Placebound student" means a student who (a) is unable to complete a college program because of family or employment commitments, health concerns, monetary inability, or other similar factors; and (b) may be influenced by the receipt of an enhanced student financial aid award to complete a baccalaureate degree at an eligible institution.

Sec. 3   RCW 28B.105.020 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 s 183 are each amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "GET units" means tuition units under the advanced college tuition payment program in chapter 28B.95 RCW.
     (2) "Institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in RCW 28B.92.030(4) (a) and (b) (i) and (ii).
     (3) "Office" means the office of student financial assistance.
     (4) "Program administrator" means the private nonprofit corporation that is registered under Title 24 RCW and qualified as a tax-exempt entity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code, that will serve as the private partner in the public-private partnership under this chapter.
     (5) "Qualified program" or "qualified major" means a mathematics, science, or related degree program or major line of study offered by an institution of higher education that is included on the list of programs or majors selected by the ((board)) office and the program administrator under RCW 28B.105.100.

Sec. 4   RCW 28B.133.010 and 2004 c 275 s 72 are each amended to read as follows:
     The educational assistance grant program for students with dependents is hereby created, subject to the availability of receipts of gifts, grants, or endowments from private sources. The program is created to serve financially needy students with dependents eighteen years of age or younger, by assisting them directly through a grant program to pursue a degree or certificate at public or private institutions of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.92.030(4) (a) and (b) (i) and (ii), that participate in the state need grant program.

Sec. 5   RCW 28B.133.050 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 s 238 are each amended to read as follows:
     The educational assistance grant program for students with dependents grants may be used by eligible participants to attend any public or private college or university in the state of Washington as defined in RCW 28B.92.030(4) (a) and (b) (i) and (ii). Each participating student may receive an amount to be determined by the office of student financial assistance, with a minimum amount of one thousand dollars per academic year, not to exceed the student's documented financial need for the course of study as determined by the institution.
     Educational assistance grants for students with dependents are not intended to supplant any grant scholarship or tax program related to postsecondary education. If the office of student financial assistance finds that the educational assistance grants for students with dependents supplant or reduce any grant, scholarship, or tax program for categories of students, then the office shall adjust the financial eligibility criteria or the amount of the grant to the level necessary to avoid supplanting.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   This act takes effect August 1, 2013.