Students Experiencing Homelessness and Foster Youth Program. In 2019, the Legislature established pilot programs to provide assistance and accommodations to students experiencing homelessness and to students who were in foster care when they graduated from high school.
The participating community and technical colleges (CTCs) and four-year institutions provided accommodations to homeless students and students who were in foster care at high school graduation. The accommodations included:
In 2021 and 2022, the Students Experiencing Homelessness and Foster Youth Program (program) expanded to additional CTCs and public baccalaureate institutions, for a total of eight CTC institutions and four baccalaureates. In 2023, the program became permanent and made it so all CTCs and the public four-year institutions could participate in the program subject to appropriations.
Northwest Indian College. Northwest Indian College's main campus is located on the Lummi Indian Reservation in Washington State, 20 miles south of the Canadian border. It is the only accredited tribal college serving the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
The program is expanded to include participation from a public tribal college. The tribal college must be located in Washington and be accredited by NWCCU or another accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education.
PRO: For these students, having an opportunity to go to higher education is extraordinary. This program provides access to essential facilities, such as laundry, and other accommodations. Northwest Indian College offers services that are culturally relevant and important to these students. This will fill a gap, ensuring that these students receive accommodations at other public institutions. According to the WSAC basic needs survey, 90 percent of Northwest Indian College students have indicated food and housing insecurity. Our college does have a food pantry, but our students need more.
I am an enrolled member of Makah Tribe, and am attending Northwest Indian College. When I started my college journey, I was a homeless student, with children, and a widow. I now serve as a student account specialist, helping other students who need help. I was a recipient of student supports, and acknowledge how life changing this support can be.
PRO: Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness has provided nearly 12,000 students at risk of homelessness or those who have aged out of the foster care system with basic needs support in the five years since it was created. This program helps students persist and complete degrees and credentials with 94 percent of those receiving support at our public baccalaureates. In Washington, Native American and Alaska Native students report the highest rates of basic needs insecurity among all our postsecondary students with nearly 82 percent experiencing some form of food or housing insecurity or homelessness. We’re grateful for the Northwest Indian College’s collaboration on drafting this bill and active support of this legislation which will enable them to better serve local students who are experiencing housing insecurity.