Washington State Opportunity Scholarship Program.  The Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) program was established in 2011 to provide scholarships to low and middle-income resident students pursuing eligible high-demand baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and health care, and to encourage scholarship recipients to work in the state upon completion of their degrees. 

The program was expanded in 2018 to provide awards to students in high-demand community and technical college programs, advanced degree programs, and studying for high-demand jobs in rural counties. 

For the rural jobs program, an eligible county has the same meaning as a rural county and also includes any county that shares a common border with Canada and has a population of over 125,000.  An eligible school district means a school district that has a student enrollment in its public schools of less than 2000 pupils. 

Several changes are made to the WSOS program, with specific changes made to the advanced degree program, rural jobs program, and high-demand community and technical college program.

All Washington State Opportunity Scholarship Programs.  The definition of "satisfactory academic progress" and "resident student" for a student to be eligible for the WSOS program are aligned with the Washington College Grant (WCG).  The date in which a WSOS scholarship ends, or is no longer automatically renewed, is amended to include five years—in addition to 125 percent of the program length or credit or clock hour equivalent—as defined for the WCG.

Advanced Degree Program.  If a WSOS advanced degree student demonstrates financial need through factors such as prior household income, income loss caused by entering the advanced degree program, or level of student debt, then the median income for qualifying may be exceeded.  The level of student debt must be provided at application and annually thereafter.
 
Professional-Technical Degree Program.  Registered apprenticeships are included as eligible programs under the professional-technical degree WSOS program.

Rural Jobs Program.  Students in a certificate, degree, or other industry-recognized credential or training program in a high-demand field may qualify for the rural jobs program if they have attended and graduated from a school in an eligible school district, are enrolled in a CTC or an apprenticeship in an eligible county, or are a resident of an eligible county in addition to other requirements.  To ensure predictable treatment of the program in the budget process, the state match for the rural jobs program must be based on donations and pledges received as of the date of the caseload forecast.

• Clarifies that to be eligible for the rural jobs program, an applicant must either:  be a resident of an eligible county; have attended and graduated from a school in an eligible school district; or be enrolled in a CTC located in an eligible county or participating in an eligible apprenticeship in an eligible county.
• Makes a technical change in reference to family income for the purpose of the advanced degree program.

No public hearing was held.

PRO:  The bill makes small changes to improve the WSOS.  The WSOS has helped low-income students launch their careers and earn higher salaries.  The state match process for the Rural Jobs Program would align with the other WSOS programs.