H-3996.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2809
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 56th Legislature 2000 Regular Session
By Representatives Kagi, McDonald, Kenney, D. Sommers, Edmonds, Tokuda, Lantz, Boldt, Clements, McIntire, Lovick, Dickerson, Anderson, Stensen, O'Brien, Miloscia, Ogden, Schual‑Berke, Edwards, Wood and Santos
Read first time 01/20/2000. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to a foster care scholarship program; adding a new section to chapter 28B.80 RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that access to a higher education will give children who are in foster care hope for the future. The legislature further finds that such assistance will help these children become successful, productive, contributing citizens and avoid cycles of abuse, poverty, violence, and delinquency.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The foster care scholarship program is created. The purpose of the program is to help students who were in foster care attend an institution of higher education in the state of Washington.
(2) To the extent funds are appropriated, the higher education coordinating board shall award grants to eligible students to help cover the costs of receiving a higher education at an institution of higher education in Washington state. The grant shall be in an amount not to exceed the costs of obtaining a higher education, excluding tuition. The higher education coordinating board shall establish procedures, by rule, to disburse the awards as direct grants to students.
(3) To qualify for the grant, a student shall:
(a) Be between the ages of sixteen and twenty-three;
(b) Have been in foster care in the state of Washington for a minimum of six months since his or her fourteenth birthday;
(c) Be eligible for financial aid under the state student financial aid program;
(d) Enter an institution of higher education or vocational program in Washington state within three years of high school graduation or having successfully received his or her GED;
(e) Be making satisfactory progress towards completion of a degree or certificate program; and
(f) Not be pursuing a degree in theology.
(4) If a student is eligible under subsection (3) of this section, the student may receive a maximum of eight semesters or twelve quarters of grants for higher education in the state of Washington.
(5) An eligible student may transfer among institutions of higher education in Washington and continue to receive the grant.
(6) Grants under this section shall not affect eligibility for the state student financial aid program.
(7) The higher education coordinating board shall work with the department of social and health services and the superintendent of public instruction to provide information about this program to children in foster care in the state of Washington and to students sixteen years and over who would be eligible for the program.
(8) As used in this section, "institutions of higher education" includes:
(a) Public institutions of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016;
(b) Private, nonprofit educational institutions, the main campus of which is permanently situated in the state, providing programs of education beyond the high school level, leading to a degree or certificate, and accredited by the northwest association of schools and colleges as of the effective date of this section;
(c) Other institutions that are approved by the higher education coordinating board as meeting equivalent standards as those institutions accredited under this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the purposes of this act.
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