wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5658 > Original Bill
In addition to other eligibility requirements outlined in this chapter, students who demonstrate financial need are eligible to receive the Washington college grant.
Financial need is as follows:
Students with family incomes between zero and 70 percent of the state median family income, adjusted for family size, shall receive the maximum Washington college grant as defined in RCW 28B.92.030; and
Grants for students with incomes between 71 and 100 percent of the state median family income, adjusted for family size, shall be prorated at the following percentages of the maximum Washington college grant amount:
50 percent for students with family incomes between 71 and 80 percent of the state median family income;
25 percent for students with family incomes between 81 and 90 percent of the state median family income
; and
iii. 10 percent for students with family incomes between 91 and 100 percent of the state median family income.
As part of the Washington college grant program, all Washington college grant recipients who qualify for the maximum Washington college grant, but who are not recipients of the college bound scholarship program under chapter 28B.118 RCW are entitled to receive an annual bridge grant of $500.
The office shall award bridge grants to eligible students beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.
To receive the full bridge grant for which the student qualifies, the student needs to be enrolled in an institution of higher education on at least a half-time basis. Students enrolled less than half-time must receive a prorated bridge grant.
The bridge grant must be applied to a student's financial aid package after all other gift aid has been awarded to the student.
As used in this section, "bridge grant" means an annual stipend provided in addition to the Washington college grant to provide supplementary financial support to low-income students to cover higher education expenses beyond tuition and fees, such as books, lab fees, supplies, technology, transportation, housing, and child care.
(1) The workforce education investment account is created in the state treasury. All revenues from the workforce investment surcharge created in RCW 82.04.299 and those revenues as specified under RCW 82.04.290(2)(c) must be deposited directly into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for higher education programs, higher education operations, higher education compensation, state-funded student aid programs, and workforce development including career connected learning as defined by RCW 28C.30.020. Beginning in fiscal year 2025, and each year thereafter, an amount equal to all the revenues derived from the surcharge imposed under RCW 82.04.299 must be used exclusively for higher education programs that lead to a credential in advanced computing, as defined in RCW 82.04.299, and related science, technology, engineering, and math computing fields to increase access and equity, especially for students from traditionally underserved communities. When the number of qualified Washington state applicants exceeds the available enrollments at the University of Washington Paul G. Allen school of computer science by 100, then additional enrollments must be automatically added and funded from the surcharge imposed under RCW 82.04.299 to accommodate the additional demand. The University of Washington shall submit a report, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, to the appropriate committees of the legislature annually, beginning June 30, 2026, on program graduation rates, waitlist for entry into the program, time to degree completion, and degrees awarded.
The workforce education investment accountability and oversight board is established. The board consists of 18 members, as provided in this subsection:
Four members of the legislature consisting of the chairs and ranking minority members of the respective higher education and workforce development committees of the senate and house of representatives, ex officio; and
The following members appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate:
Five members representing the businesses described in RCW 82.04.299 or subject to the tax rate under RCW 82.04.290(2)(a)(i);
Two members representing labor organizations, one of which must have expertise in registered apprenticeships and training a high-demand workforce and one of which must represent faculty at the four-year institutions of higher education;
Two members representing the institutions of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, one of which must be from the four-year sector and one of which must be from the community and technical college sector;
Two members representing students, one of which must be a community and technical college student;
One member representing the independent, not-for-profit higher education institutions;
One member representing the workforce training and education coordinating board created under RCW 28C.18.020; and
One member representing the student achievement council, established under this chapter.
Except for ex officio and student members, board members shall hold their offices for a term of three years until their successors are appointed. Student board members shall hold one-year terms.
The board shall have two cochairs. One cochair shall be one of the chairs of the respective higher education and workforce development committees of the legislature and the other cochair shall be one of the board members representing the businesses described in RCW 82.04.299 or subject to the tax rate under RCW 82.04.290(2)(a)(i). The cochairs shall hold the position for a one-year term. The board members shall elect the cochairs annually.
Nine voting members of the board constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The board shall meet four times a year.
Staff support for the board shall be provided by the student achievement council established in this chapter. The student achievement council must provide the board and the higher education committees of the legislature with a report by August 1st of each year that details the expenditures from the workforce education investment account created in RCW 43.79.195. The report must provide the amount and the outcome of expenditures for higher education programs that lead to a credential in advanced computing, as defined in RCW 82.04.299, and related science, technology, engineering, and math computing fields.
The purposes of the board are to:
Provide guidance and recommendations to the legislature on what workforce education priorities should be funded with the workforce education investment account; and
Ensure accountability that the workforce education investments funded with the workforce education investment account are producing the intended results and are effectively increasing student success and career readiness, such as by increasing retention, completion, and job placement rates.
The board shall consult data from the education data center established under RCW 43.41.400 and the workforce training and education coordinating board established under this chapter when reviewing and determining whether workforce education investments funded from the workforce education investment account are effectively increasing student success and career readiness. The workforce training and education coordinating board shall maintain the workforce education investment accountability and oversight board data dashboard on a public-facing portal and work with the board to update and modify the data dashboard as new performance metrics are identified.
The board shall report its recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31st of each year.
For the purposes of this section, "board" means the workforce education investment accountability and oversight board established in this section.
The sum of $6,000,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2027, from the workforce education investment account—state to the University of Washington for the sole purpose of awarding an additional 100 degrees by fiscal year 2029 at the University of Washington Paul G. Allen school of computer science and engineering.