(1) Number of students to be nominated.

(a) Each principal of a public or private approved Washington high school is encouraged to nominate one percent of the senior class (twelfth grade) based on the October 1 enrollment count of the previous year.

(b) In the event that fewer than four nominations are anticipated in any one legislative district, the board shall seek additional nominations of students meeting eligibility criteria for that district from the high schools located in, and/or in legislative districts adjacent to, that legislative district.

(2) Selection committee.

(a) Following the receipt of the nomination forms, the higher education coordinating board shall convene a selection committee which shall have members representing public and private secondary and postsecondary education institutions, state agencies, and private sector associations. This selection committee shall review all nominations based upon selection criteria that shall include, but not be limited to, academic excellence, leadership ability, and community contributions.

(b) Conditioned upon when the anticipated nomination shortfall is recognized, as defined in subsection (1)(b) of this section, the additional nominations received may undergo review with the general nomination pool or, separately, as soon thereafter as practicable and in a manner consistent with regular committee procedure and selection criteria.

(3) Selection. The Washington scholars selection committee shall designate three Washington scholars and one Washington scholars-alternate in each legislative district from among the population of graduating high school seniors nominated for the award.

Recipients shall be identified by a ranking of nominees within each legislative district in descending order according to the final, aggregate numeric scores assigned to each individual in the review process. The three individuals achieving the highest scores in each legislative district shall be named to the Washington scholars award, and the individual receiving the fourth highest score in each legislative district shall be named to the Washington scholars-alternate award.

(4) Notification. After the final selections have been made, the higher education coordinating board shall notify the students so designated, their high school principals, the legislators of their respective districts, and the governor.

(5) Certificates and awards ceremony.

(a) The board, in conjunction with the governor's office, shall prepare appropriate certificates of recognition to be presented to the Washington state scholars recipients and Washington scholars-alternate recipients.

(b) An awards ceremony on behalf of the three students named to the Washington state scholars award in each legislative district shall be planned annually, at an appropriate time and place, by the board in cooperation with the Washington association of secondary school principals.

(6) Receipt of award. Washington state scholars and Washington scholars-alternates shall be deemed to have received their awards effective the date of notification. This is in contrast to the receipt of award benefits which may accrue to Washington state scholars and Washington scholars-alternates recipients in the form of tuition and fee waivers and grants, and which shall be deemed to be received by the individual recipients on a term-by-term basis at the time the award benefit is used for undergraduate coursework.