E2SHB 1779 -
By Committee on Ways & Means
ADOPTED 04/05/2007
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The GET ready for math and science
scholarship program is established. The purpose of the program is to
provide scholarships to students who achieve level four on the
mathematics or science portions of the tenth grade Washington
assessment of student learning or achieve a score in the math section
of the SAT or the math section of the ACT that is above the ninety-fifth percentile, major in a mathematics, science, or related field in
college, and commit to working in mathematics, science, or a related
field for at least three years in Washington following completion of
their bachelor's degree. The program shall be administered by the
nonprofit organization selected as the private partner in the public-private partnership.
(2) The total annual amount of each GET ready for math and science
scholarship may vary, but shall not exceed the annual cost of resident
undergraduate tuition fees and mandatory fees at the University of
Washington. An eligible recipient may receive a GET ready for math and
science scholarship for up to one hundred eighty quarter credits, or
the semester equivalent, or for up to five years, whichever comes
first.
(3) Scholarships shall be awarded only to the extent that state
funds and private matching funds are available for that purpose in the
GET ready for math and science account established in section 11 of
this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board.
(2) "GET units" means tuition units under the advanced college
tuition payment program in chapter 28B.95 RCW.
(3) "Institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in
RCW 28B.92.030.
(4) "Program administrator" means the private nonprofit corporation
that is registered under Title 24 RCW and qualified as a tax-exempt
entity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code,
that will serve as the private partner in the public-private
partnership under this chapter.
(5) "Qualified program" or "qualified major" means a mathematics,
science, or related degree program or major line of study offered by an
institution of higher education that is included on the list of
programs or majors selected by the board and the program administrator
under section 10 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 (1) An eligible student is a student who:
(a) Is eligible for resident tuition and fee rates as defined in
RCW 28B.15.012;
(b) Achieved level four on the mathematics or science portion of
the tenth grade Washington assessment of student learning or achieved
a score in the math section of the SAT or the math section of the ACT
that is above the ninety-fifth percentile;
(c) Has a family income at or below one hundred twenty-five percent
of the state median family income at the time the student applies for
a GET ready for math and science scholarship and for up to the two
previous years;
(d) Has declared an intention to complete a qualified program or
qualified major or has entered a qualified program or declared a
qualified major at an institution of higher education;
(e) Has declared an intention to work in a mathematics, science, or
related field in Washington for at least three years immediately
following completion of a bachelor's degree or higher degree.
(2) An eligible recipient is an eligible student who:
(a) Has been awarded a scholarship in accordance with the selection
criteria and process established by the board and the program
administrator;
(b) Enrolls at an institution of higher education within one year
of graduating from high school;
(c) Maintains satisfactory academic progress, as defined by the
institution of higher education where the student is enrolled;
(d) Takes at least one college-level mathematics or science course
each term since enrolling in an institution of higher education; and
(e) Enters a qualified program or qualified major no later than the
end of the first term in which the student has junior level standing.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 (1) If the student enrolls in a qualified
program or declares a qualified major and the program or major is
subsequently removed from the list of qualified programs and qualified
majors by the board and the program administrator, the student's
eligibility to receive a GET ready for math and science scholarship
shall not be affected.
(2) If a student who received a GET ready for math and science
scholarship ceases to be enrolled in an institution of higher
education, withdraws or is no longer enrolled in a qualified program,
declares a major that is not a qualified major, or otherwise is no
longer eligible to receive a GET ready for math and science
scholarship, the student shall notify the program administrator as soon
as practicable and is not eligible for further GET ready for math and
science scholarship awards. Such a student shall also repay the amount
of the GET ready for math and science scholarship awarded to the
student as required by section 5 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 (1) A recipient of a GET ready for math and
science scholarship incurs an obligation to repay the scholarship, with
interest and an equalization fee, if he or she does not:
(a) Graduate with a bachelor's degree from a qualified program or
in a qualified major within five years of first enrolling at an
institution of higher education; and
(b) Work in Washington in a mathematics, science, or related
occupation full time for at least three years following completion of
a bachelor's degree, unless he or she is enrolled in a graduate degree
program as provided in subsection (4) of this section.
(2) A former scholarship recipient who has earned a bachelor's
degree shall annually verify to the board that he or she is working
full time in a mathematics, science, or related field for three years.
(3) If a former scholarship recipient begins but then stops working
full time in a mathematics, science, or related field within three
years following completion of a bachelor's degree, he or she shall pay
back a prorated portion of the amount of the GET ready for math and
science scholarship award received by the recipient, plus interest and
a prorated equalization fee.
(4) A recipient may postpone for up to three years his or her in-state work obligation if he or she enrolls full time in a graduate
degree program in mathematics, science, or a related field.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 The office of the superintendent of public
instruction shall:
(1) Notify elementary, middle, junior high, high school, and school
district staff and administrators, and the children's administration of
the department of social and health services about the GET ready for
math and science scholarship program using methods in place for
communicating with schools and school districts; and
(2) Provide data showing the race, ethnicity, income, and other
available demographic information of students who achieve level four of
the math and science Washington assessment of student learning in the
tenth grade. Compare those data with comparable information on the
tenth grade student population as a whole. Submit a report with the
analysis to the committees responsible for education and higher
education in the legislature on December 1st of even-numbered years.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 The board shall:
(1) Purchase GET units to be owned and held in trust by the board,
for the purpose of scholarship awards as provided for in this section;
(2) Distribute scholarship funds, in the form of GET units or
through direct payments from the GET ready for math and science
scholarship account, to institutions of higher education on behalf of
eligible recipients identified by the program administrator;
(3) Provide the program administrator with annual reports regarding
enrollment, contact, and graduation information of GET ready for math
and science scholarship recipients, if the recipients have given
permission for the board to do so;
(4) Collect repayments from former scholarship recipients who do
not meet the eligibility criteria or work obligations;
(5) Establish rules for scholarship repayment, approved leaves of
absence, deferments, and exceptions to recognize extenuating
circumstances that may impact students; and
(6) Provide information to school districts in Washington, at least
once per year, about the GET ready for math and science scholarship
program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 School districts shall:
(1) Notify parents, teachers, counselors, and principals about the
GET ready for math and science scholarship program through existing
channels. Notification methods may include, but are not limited to,
regular school district and building communications, online scholarship
bulletins and announcements, notices posted on school walls and
bulletin boards, information available in each counselor's office, and
school or district scholarship information sessions.
(2) Provide each student who achieves level four on the mathematics
or science high school Washington assessment of student learning with
information regarding the scholarship program and how to contact the
program administrator.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9 The program administrator shall:
(1) Solicit and accept grants and donations from private sources to
match state funds appropriated for the GET ready for math and science
scholarship program;
(2) Develop and implement an application, selection, and
notification process for awarding GET ready for math and science
scholarships;
(3) Notify institutions of higher education of scholarship
recipients who will attend their institutions and inform them of the
terms of the students' eligibility; and
(4) Report to private donors on the program outcomes and facilitate
contact between scholarship recipients and donors, if the recipients
have given the program administrator permission to do so, in order for
donors to offer employment opportunities, internships, and career
information to recipients.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 The board and the program administrator
shall jointly:
(1) Determine criteria for qualifying undergraduate programs,
majors, and courses leading to a bachelor's degree in mathematics,
science, or a related field, offered by institutions of higher
education. The board shall publish the criteria for qualified courses,
and lists of qualified programs and qualified majors on its web site on
a biennial basis; and
(2) Establish criteria for selecting among eligible applicants
those who, without scholarship assistance, would be least likely to
pursue a qualified undergraduate program at an institution of higher
education in Washington state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11 (1) The GET ready for math and science
scholarship account is created in the custody of the state treasurer.
(2) The board shall deposit into the account all money received for
the GET ready for math and science scholarship program from
appropriations and private sources. The account shall be
self-sustaining.
(3) Expenditures from the account shall be used for scholarships to
eligible students and for purchases of GET units. Purchased GET units
shall be owned and held in trust by the board. Expenditures from the
account shall be an equal match of state appropriations and private
funds raised by the program administrator.
(4) With the exception of the operating costs associated with the
management of the account by the treasurer's office as authorized in
chapter 43.79A RCW, the account shall be credited with all investment
income earned by the account.
(5) Disbursements from the account are exempt from appropriations
and the allotment provisions of chapter 43.88 RCW.
(6) Disbursements from the account shall be made only on the
authorization of the board.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12 A new section is added to chapter 28B.95
RCW to read as follows:
Ownership of tuition units purchased by the higher education
coordinating board for the GET ready for math and science scholarship
program under section 7 of this act shall be in the name of the state
of Washington and may be redeemed by the state of Washington on behalf
of recipients of GET ready for math and science scholarship program
scholarships for tuition and fees.
Sec. 13 RCW 28B.95.060 and 2000 c 14 s 5 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The Washington advanced college tuition payment program account
is created in the custody of the state treasurer. The account shall be
a discrete nontreasury account retaining its interest earnings in
accordance with RCW 43.79A.040.
(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the governing
body shall deposit in the account all money received for the program.
The account shall be self-sustaining and consist of payments received
from purchasers of tuition units and funds received from other sources,
public or private. With the exception of investment and operating
costs associated with the investment of money by the investment board
paid under RCW 43.33A.160 and 43.84.160, the account shall be credited
with all investment income earned by the account. Disbursements from
the account are exempt from appropriations and the allotment provisions
of chapter 43.88 RCW. Money used for program administration is subject
to the allotment of all expenditures. However, an appropriation is not
required for such expenditures. Program administration shall include,
but not be limited to: The salaries and expenses of the program
personnel including lease payments, travel, and goods and services
necessary for program operation; contracts for program promotion and
advertisement, audits, and account management; and other general costs
of conducting the business of the program.
(b) All money received by the program from the higher education
coordinating board for the GET ready for math and science scholarship
program shall be deposited in the GET ready for math and science
scholarship account created in section 11 of this act.
(3) The assets of the account may be spent without appropriation
for the purpose of making payments to institutions of higher education
on behalf of the qualified beneficiaries, making refunds, transfers, or
direct payments upon the termination of the Washington advanced college
tuition payment program. Disbursements from the account shall be made
only on the authorization of the governing body.
(4) With regard to the assets of the account, the state acts in a
fiduciary, not ownership, capacity. Therefore the assets of the
program are not considered state money, common cash, or revenue to the
state.
Sec. 14 RCW 43.79A.040 and 2006 c 311 s 21 and 2006 c 120 s 2 are
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, invested,
and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with RCW 43.84.080
in the same manner and to the same extent as if the money were in the
state treasury.
(2) All income received from investment of the treasurer's trust
fund shall be set aside in an account in the treasury trust fund to be
known as the investment income account.
(3) The investment income account may be utilized for the payment
of purchased banking services on behalf of treasurer's trust funds
including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and
disbursement functions for the state treasurer or affected state
agencies. The investment income account is subject in all respects to
chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to
financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to distribution of
earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.
(4)(a) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings
credited to the investment income account to the state general fund
except under (b) and (c) of this subsection.
(b) The following accounts and funds shall receive their
proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's
average daily balance for the period: The Washington promise
scholarship account, the college savings program account, the
Washington advanced college tuition payment program account, the
agricultural local fund, the American Indian scholarship endowment
fund, the foster care scholarship endowment fund, the foster care
endowed scholarship trust fund, the students with dependents grant
account, the basic health plan self-insurance reserve account, the
contract harvesting revolving account, the Washington state combined
fund drive account, the commemorative works account, the Washington
international exchange scholarship endowment fund, the developmental
disabilities endowment trust fund, the energy account, the fair fund,
the fruit and vegetable inspection account, the future teachers
conditional scholarship account, the game farm alternative account, the
GET ready for math and science scholarship account, the grain
inspection revolving fund, the juvenile accountability incentive
account, the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' plan 2
expense fund, the local tourism promotion account, the produce railcar
pool account, the regional transportation investment district account,
the rural rehabilitation account, the stadium and exhibition center
account, the youth athletic facility account, the self-insurance
revolving fund, the sulfur dioxide abatement account, the children's
trust fund, the Washington horse racing commission Washington bred
owners' bonus fund account, the Washington horse racing commission
class C purse fund account, the individual development account program
account, the Washington horse racing commission operating account
(earnings from the Washington horse racing commission operating account
must be credited to the Washington horse racing commission class C
purse fund account), the life sciences discovery fund, and the reading
achievement account. However, the earnings to be distributed shall
first be reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service
fund pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.
(c) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent
of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or
fund's average daily balance for the period: The advanced right of way
revolving fund, the advanced environmental mitigation revolving
account, the city and county advance right-of-way revolving fund, the
federal narcotics asset forfeitures account, the high occupancy vehicle
account, the local rail service assistance account, and the
miscellaneous transportation programs account.
(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state
Constitution, no trust accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings
without the specific affirmative directive of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 15 Sections 1 through 11 of this act
constitute a new chapter in Title
E2SHB 1779 -
By Committee on Ways & Means
ADOPTED 04/05/2007
On page 1, beginning on line 2 of the title, after "program;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 28B.95.060; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040; adding a new section to chapter 28B.95 RCW; and adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW."