SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5748

BYSenators McDermott, Newhouse, Bottiger, Fleming, Gaspard, Deccio, Stratton, Johnson, Wojahn, Bender, Smitherman, Benitz, Nelson and Barr

Establishing a grant program for students attending independent colleges and universities.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 3, 1987

Senate Staff:Judy McNickle (786-7423)

AS OF FEBRUARY 27, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The first state sponsored financial aid programs were directed to all needy resident students attending public or independent institutions of postsecondary education.  Beginning with the adoption of the Teacher Incentive Loan Program for Mathematics and Science in l983, the Legislature began to target aid funds to meet specific societal needs.  The loan program was initiated to encourage students to become teachers in subject areas where a high need exists for qualified educators.

In the 1985 session of the Legislature, the Temporary Committee on Educational Policies, Structure and Management recommended that the state target financial aid funds to specific student groups.  Although the Legislature did not adopt the Committee's recommended legislation, a budget proviso was adopted which directed the Council for Postsecondary Education to provide financial assistance to students with extremely high unmet need.  This proviso targeted funds toward a student population which the Council had identified as being underserved by current assistance programs.

The Temporary Committee's report also echoed recommendations of other studies to improve undergraduate education by suggesting that colleges develop and adopt plans to increase minority participation in higher education.  Last June, the Washington Roundtable recommended that a serious effort be launched to attract more and better qualified black, Hispanic and native American students to the state's public colleges and universities, and urged the Legislature to fund special early outreach and summer programs aimed at middle school, junior high and high school minority students and their parents and coordinated by public colleges and universities.  In December the Governor announced, as part of his education package, his request for $1.45 million to create such pilot minority recruitment programs at each public college and university and $200,000 to expand efforts of the University of Washington's MESA program for high school minority students studying math, engineering and science.

SUMMARY:

The Legislature declares its intent to create a cost-effective program to provide access to independent higher education institutions to underrepresented students with high financial need.

The Higher Education Coordinating (HEC) Board is required to analyze enrollment data to determine which student populations are underrepresented in Washington's public and independent four-year colleges and universities.

If funding is available, students may receive education equalization grants to attend independent colleges and universities that are accredited, private, nonprofit institutions open to Washington residents, that provide educational programs at least to the baccalaureate degree level, and that maintain their main campus in Washington.  To be eligible for these grants, a student must be a Washington resident who can meet "need" criteria, is academically qualified, agrees to enroll fulltime, maintains satisfactory progress once enrolled, and does not pursue a theology degree.  Grant recipients do not have to belong to an underrepresented student group. 

Grants, which must be awarded directly to students, may provide up to 50 percent of the student's cost of education, but may not exceed the per student instructional subsidy awarded state residents enrolled in Washington State University.

The HEC Board is required to adopt rules for the program in consultation with a panel of five representatives from independent higher education institutions.  Selected by the independent institutions, these representatives must include at least one financial aid administrator, one admissions director, and one representative from a campus minority affairs office.

The grants are funded by an appropriation of $500,000 for the 1987-89 biennium to the HEC Board, which may not use more than $30,000 to cover the program's administrative costs.

Appropriation:    $500,000 to the Higher Education Coordinating Board

Fiscal Note:      requested