Brief Summary of Bill

Expands a student's initial eligibility for the College Bound Scholarship (CBS) to the seventh and eighth grade, rather than just the seventh grade.
Allows eligible students to sign a CBS pledge in the ninth grade, beginning in the 2017-18 academic year, or tenth grade, beginning in the 2018-19 academic year, if they were previously ineligible in the seventh or eighth grade as a Washington student.
Prioritizes eligible CBS students for the State Need Grant who have family incomes in the 0 to 70 percent medium family income range.

Background: The College Board Scholarship (CBS) Program was established in 2007 to provide guaranteed four-year tuition to students from low-income families. The first CBS awards were granted to the graduating high school class of 2012. Eligible students for the CBS include those who:

qualify for free or reduced-price lunches in the seventh grade;
are in grades seven through twelve, and (1) are dependent from parents or guardians; or (2) are receiving extended foster care services; or
are between the ages of 18 and 21 years and have not graduated from high school.

Beginning in the seventh grade, eligible students are notified of their eligibility and the requirements for award of the scholarship. To be eligible to receive the CBS, a student must sign a pledge during the seventh or eighth grade that includes a commitment to graduate from high school with at least a C average and no felony convictions. The pledge must be witnessed by a parent or guardian and forwarded to the Office of Student Financial Assistance. If the student is a dependent, the student is automatically enrolled without any necessary action by the student or the student's family.

To receive the CBS, the student must graduate with at least a C average from a public high school, approved private high school, or have received home-based instruction. The student cannot have a felony conviction and must be a resident student. Upon graduation, the student's family income will be assessed, and if it does not exceed 65 percent of the state median family income, the student will receive a scholarship.

The CBS recipients that attend public two-year or four-year institutions of higher education receive an award to cover the cost of tuition and fees, minus any state-funded grant, scholarship, or waiver assistance, plus $500 for books and materials. The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress and may not receive the scholarship for more than four full-time years.

Summary of Bill: The definition of eligible students for the CBS is expanded to include eighth graders in addition to seventh graders. Beginning in the 2017-18 academic year, students that qualify for free or reduced lunches in the ninth grade and were previously ineligible during seventh or eighth grade are eligible for the CBS. Beginning in the 2018-19 academic year, students that qualify for free or reduced lunches in the tenth grade and were previously ineligible during seventh, eighth, or ninth grade are eligible for the CBS. Eligible students are to be notified of their eligibility for the CBS in their seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grade years.

The selection of State Need Grant recipients statute is updated to include that CBS eligible students whose family incomes are in the 0 to 70 percent median family income range shall be prioritized for the maximum State Need Grant for which they are eligible.

The bill is null and void if specific funding is not provided in the Omnibus Appropriation Act by June 30, 2017.