SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6254

2024 Regular Session

BySenate Higher Education & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Senators Nobles, Hansen, Conway, Frame, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Lovick, Saldaña, Valdez, and C. Wilson)

READ FIRST TIME 01/31/24.

AN ACT Relating to student navigational supports to increase postsecondary enrollment; amending RCW 28B.50.940; adding a new section to chapter 28B.77 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.415 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that Washington stands among the top 10 states for job opportunities requiring education beyond high school, and that large majorities of high school students self-report aspirations to continue their education beyond 12th grade. However, only an estimated 40 percent of Washington's high school class of 2021 is projected to obtain a postsecondary credential. This issue is particularly pressing for students from lower income households. The legislature further recognizes that the real or perceived cost of postsecondary education is a critical systemic barrier that impedes prospective students from applying and enrolling in postsecondary education. This is despite Washington boasting one of the most expansive and equitable set of state-level postsecondary financial aid programs in the country. The legislature further recognizes that counseling, advising, and coaching that help students with the postsecondary financial aid, application, and enrollment processes, and that provide hands-on assistance, are proven approaches to increasing rates of postsecondary enrollment. In order to broaden access to student navigational supports, Washington should invest in student navigational supports and services to advise students to and through postsecondary education and training. Therefore, it is the legislature's intent to establish a financial aid completion and postsecondary enrollment pilot program for the purposes of informing Washington high school students of postsecondary financial aid and educational opportunities as well as encouraging completion of financial aid and postsecondary enrollment.

Sec. 2. RCW 28B.50.940 and 2022 c 214 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Subject to availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the college board shall administer a ((free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid outreach and completion initiative pilot program))financial aid completion and postsecondary enrollment pilot program for every educational service district.

(1) The college board shall, in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, select community or technical colleges to participate in the pilot program. The ((colleges selected to participate must each be located within educational service districts that are in the bottom two for free application for federal student aid completion rates when combining their respective school districts' free application for federal student aid completion rates over the past three completed academic years prior to June 9, 2022))college board may also consider tribal organizations or community-based organizations to participate in the pilot program if deemed appropriate for the context of a given educational service district. The colleges or organizations selected to participate must include at least one college or organization from each educational service district. Colleges or organizations selected to participate shall employ outreach and enrollment specialists to work directly with the high schools located in the corresponding educational service district. It is the legislature's intent that the outreach and enrollment specialists be employed at a ratio of one to 600 high school seniors within the corresponding educational service district. The outreach and enrollment specialists shall make significant contact with high school students and their families, with a focus on those households who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program, medicaid, or other similar public benefit programs, for the purpose of increasing free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion rates. The outreach and enrollment specialists shall use the free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid data maintained by the student achievement council to conduct targeted outreach and free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion assistance to high school seniors. The outreach and enrollment specialists shall also provide information on how to access private scholarships. The outreach and enrollment specialists shall conduct other outreach as appropriate, including virtual or in-person presentations with students and families, announcements on ((school intercoms and)) social media channels, outreach to recent high school graduates as peer messengers, and events at school college or career fairs.

(2) The outreach and enrollment specialists shall assist students in exploring college services and programs to improve their skills and increase academic achievement, with a focus on those students who are eligible for public benefit programs, for the purpose of helping students reach their education and career goals. The student achievement council, the college board, an organization representing the public four-year institutions of higher education, and an organization representing the private four-year institutions of higher education shall collaborate in preparing a training program for outreach and enrollment specialists.

(3) In collaboration with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the college board shall outline the roles and responsibilities of colleges, tribal organizations, community-based organizations, and educational service districts to ensure outreach and enrollment specialists have the necessary resources and support to effectively engage with students to promote postsecondary enrollment and financial aid completion. Resources and support may include, but are not limited to, providing: Access to buildings, adequate meeting spaces, certain technology, and school supplies. The college board should also include a communication plan to students and families about the presence and role of outreach and enrollment specialists.

(4) The college board shall report annually to the appropriate committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW 43.01.036 beginning December 1, ((2023, on the free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid outreach and completion initiative pilot program))2025, on the financial aid completion and postsecondary enrollment pilot program. The report must include details on ((how the)):

(a) How the colleges selected used the funding ((and how the));

(b) How the initiatives worked to increase free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion rates((. The report must also include before and after free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion data and specific details about the number of high school students assisted in completing the free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid));

(d) The data including completion rates for free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid prior to implementation of the pilot program and postimplementation, disaggregated by demographic characteristics; and

(e) The rates of first-time college enrollment of students within one year of high school graduation, disaggregated by demographic characteristics.

(5) For the purposes of the reporting requirements provided under subsection (4) of this section, the college board must enter into data-sharing agreements with the student achievement council and any colleges or organizations that are selected to participate in the pilot program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.77 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The legislature intends to ensure that every school district has access to at least one qualified financial aid professional to provide expert support and ensure accurate and timely administration of financial aid forms. To achieve this, the legislature intends to make available, at no cost to participants, comprehensive financial aid training for teachers, school counselors, postsecondary staff, and community partners.

(2) The council shall administer a financial aid certification program that is available to secondary school teachers and counselors, staff at the institutions of higher education, and community partners. The council shall coordinate with the office of the superintendent of public instruction to develop the topics that the certification program will cover. The council must consider contracting with a third-party entity to provide the certification program. The certification program must be offered at no cost to program participants.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28A.415 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By September 1, 2026, the office of the superintendent of public instruction in collaboration with the Washington student achievement council and the Washington professional educator standards board shall offer continuing education credits to in-service educators on the topic of financial aid, as described in section 3 of this act.

(2) By October 1, 2025, the office of the superintendent of public instruction in collaboration with the Washington student achievement council and the Washington professional educator standards board shall make recommendations to the legislature regarding additional incentives that should be available to encourage participation in the certification program described in section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) December 1, 2027, the joint legislative audit and review committee shall conduct a performance review of the financial aid completion and postsecondary enrollment pilot program. The performance review must evaluate, at a minimum:

(a) The program's impact on free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion;

(b) The program's impact on college enrollment within 12 months of high school graduation;

(d) A description of other factors that may be impacting financial aid filing and college enrollment rates.

(2) This section expires July 1, 2028.