AN ACT Relating to recommendations of the college bound scholarship program work group; amending RCW 28B.77.100 and 28B.118.040; adding new sections to chapter 28B.118 RCW; creating a new section; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

The legislature also finds that a comprehensive review of the college bound scholarship program in 2014 resulted in unanimous recommendations to improve and enhance certain components of the program, including data collection, outreach, and program outcomes.

Sec. 2.  RCW 28B.77.100 and 2012 c 229 s 302 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) In consultation with the education data center, institutions of higher education, and state education agencies, the council shall identify the data needed to carry out its responsibilities for policy analysis and public information. The primary goals of the council's data collection and research are to describe how students and other beneficiaries of higher education are being served; to compare and contrast the state of Washington's higher education system with the rest of the nation; and to assist state policymakers and institutions in making policy decisions.

(b) For the council, assistance to state policymakers and institutions of higher education in making policy decisions includes but is not limited to annual reporting of a national comparison of tuition and fees.

(2) One of the goals of the education data center's data collection and research for higher education is to support higher education accountability. For the education data center, assistance to state policymakers and institutions of higher education in making policy decisions includes but is not limited to regular completion of:

(a) Educational cost study reports as provided in RCW 43.41.415 and information on state support received by students as provided in RCW 43.41.410; and

(b) Per-student funding at similar public institutions of higher education in the global challenge states.

Sec. 3.  RCW 28B.118.040 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 s 228 are each amended to read as follows:

The office of student financial assistance shall:

(1) With the assistance of the office of the superintendent of public instruction, implement and administer the Washington college bound scholarship program;

(2) Develop and distribute, to all schools with students enrolled in grade seven or eight, a pledge form that can be completed and returned electronically or by mail by the student or the school to the office of student financial assistance;

(3) Develop and implement a student application, selection, and notification process for scholarships, which includes working with other state agencies, law enforcement, or the court system to verify that eligible students do not have felony convictions;

(4) Develop comprehensive social media outreach with grade-level specific information designed to keep students on track to graduate and leverage current tools such as the high school and beyond plan required by the state board of education and the ready set grad web site maintained by the student achievement council;

(5) Track scholarship recipients to ensure continued eligibility and determine student compliance for awarding of scholarships;

(((5))) (6) Within existing resources, collaborate with college access providers and K-12, postsecondary, and youth-serving organizations to map and coordinate mentoring and advising resources across the state;

(7) Subject to appropriation, deposit funds into the state educational trust fund;

(((6))) (8) Purchase tuition units under the advanced college tuition payment program in chapter 28B.95 RCW to be owned and held in trust by the board, for the purpose of scholarship awards as provided for in this section; and

(((7))) (9) Distribute scholarship funds, in the form of tuition units purchased under the advanced college tuition payment program in chapter 28B.95 RCW or through direct payments from the state educational trust fund, to institutions of higher education on behalf of scholarship recipients identified by the office, as long as recipients maintain satisfactory academic progress.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.118 RCW to read as follows:

Each institution of higher education is encouraged to tailor advising resources for any enrolled student who is the recipient of a college bound scholarship. The institutions of higher education should identify campus officials, resources, programs, and other college bound scholarship students available to work with college bound scholarship recipients.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.118 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Beginning January 1, 2015, and at a minimum every year thereafter, the student achievement council and all institutions of higher education eligible to participate in the college bound scholarship program shall ensure data needed to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the college bound scholarship program is promptly transmitted to the education data center created in RCW 43.41.400 so that it is available and easily accessible. The data to be reported should include but not be limited to:

(a) The number of students who sign up for the college bound scholarship program in seventh or eighth grade;

(b) The number of college bound scholarship students who graduate from high school;

(c) The number of college bound scholarship students who enroll in postsecondary education;

(d) Persistence and completion rates of college bound scholarship recipients disaggregated by institutions of higher education;

(e) College bound scholarship recipient grade point averages;

(f) The number of college bound scholarship recipients who did not remain eligible and reasons for ineligibility;

(g) College bound scholarship program costs; and

(h) Impacts to the state need grant program.

(2) Beginning the effective date of this section, and at a minimum every December 1st thereafter, the student achievement council shall submit student unit record data for the college bound scholarship program applicants and recipients to the education data center.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.118 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The Washington state institute for public policy shall complete an evaluation of the college bound scholarship program and submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2018. The report shall complement studies on the college bound scholarship program conducted at the University of Washington or elsewhere. To the extent it is not duplicative of other studies, the report shall evaluate educational outcomes emphasizing degree completion rates at both secondary and postsecondary levels. The report shall study certain aspects of the college bound scholarship program, including but not limited to:

(a) College bound scholarship recipient grade point average and its relationship to positive outcomes;

(b) Variance in remediation needed between college bound scholarship recipient and their peers;

(c) Differentials in persistence between college bound scholarship recipients and their peers; and

(d) The impact of ineligibility for the college bound scholarship program, for reasons such as moving into the state after middle school or change in family income.

(2) This section expires August 1, 2019.

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