wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1495 > Original Bill
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the council shall collaborate with a registered 501(c)(3) that provides student services in 10 counties across eastern Washington and is headquartered in a county east of the crest of the Cascade mountains to establish a college promise pilot program beginning in the 2025-26 academic year.
The college promise pilot program must select a minimum of 100 students per year within a 10-county region served by a single regional promise program to receive up to $5,000 annually for tuition and fees. Eligible recipients are students who:
Have graduated from a high school within the 10-county region;
Have enrolled in an institution of higher education, an apprenticeship, or other postsecondary credential program located within the 10-county region within one year of graduating high school;
Have filled out a free application for federal student aid or a Washington application for state financial aid;
Have a family income that does not exceed 150 percent of the state median family income; and
Are part of a program that provides mentoring services to students on posthigh school education.
Funds must be distributed to the council and paid directly to the institution, apprenticeship, or program indicated in subsection (2)(b) of this section.
The amount of funds awarded to eligible students under the college promise pilot program must be calculated and determined after all other state and federal aid has been applied.
This section expires August 1, 2029.
The source of funds for the college promise pilot program shall be a combination of private grants and contributions and state matching funds.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the state shall provide an annual appropriation to match private grants and contributions on an equal dollar basis.
A state match may be earned under this section after the effective date of this section.
This section expires August 1, 2029.
The college promise pilot program match transfer account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from appropriations by the legislature, and any gifts, grants, or donations received by the council for this purpose must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the college promise pilot program established in section 1 of this act. Only the executive director of the council or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
No expenditures from the account may be made except upon receipt of proof, by the council from the program administrator, of private contributions to the college promise pilot program. Expenditures, in the form of matching funds, may not exceed the total amount of private contributions. Expenditures must be made as soon as practicable following receipt of proof as required under this subsection.
The council shall enter into an appropriate agreement with the program administrator to demonstrate exchange of consideration for the matching funds.
For the purpose of this section, "program administrator" means the registered 501(c)(3) that provides student services in 10 counties across eastern Washington and is headquartered in a county east of the crest of the Cascade mountains which administers the college promise pilot program in section 1 of this act.
This section expires August 1, 2029.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, a registered 501(c)(3) that provides student services in 10 counties across eastern Washington and is headquartered in a county east of the crest of the Cascade mountains shall establish a high school promise pilot program within the college promise pilot program at which graduating high school students may receive full tuition for two years of community college located within the 10-county region.
The registered 501(c)(3) must select three high schools within the most populous county east of the crest of the Cascade mountains as follows:
One public high school serving fewer than 1,000 students;
One project-based high school serving fewer than 300 students; and
One high school serving only juniors and seniors and serving fewer than 500 students.
This section expires August 1, 2029.
In accordance with RCW 43.01.036, the registered 501(c)(3) shall submit a report to the council to submit it to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2028. The report must include the following information:
The number of promise program students that attend a community college and received funds under the programs established in sections 1 and 4 of this act;
The number of promise program students who complete a degree within two years; and
The number of promise program students who transfer to a four-year institution of higher education.
For the purposes of this section, "promise program students" include those who received up to $5,000 annually for tuition and fees through the program established in section 1 of this act, and graduating high school students that received full tuition for two years of community college through the program established in section 4 of this act.
This section expires August 1, 2029.
The sum of $500,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and the sum of $1,000,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, from the general fund—state to the student achievement council for deposit into the college promise pilot program match transfer account solely for the purpose of implementing this act.
Sections 1 through 5 of this act are each added to chapter 28B.92 RCW.