WA lawmakers want to beef up state aid for college students

OLYMPIA — Several legislative bills are designed to beef up the Washington College Grant by extending the timeline or expanding money to provide further support for college students.

In the 2021-22 academic year, the state grant gave more than 94,000 students a total of $400 million, making Washington’s grant program one of the most generous state financial aid programs in the nation. Grants do not have to be repaid.

Senate Bill 5703, sponsored by Sen. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton, increases the maximum award eligibility from 60% to 70% of median family income. If it passes, a student from a family of four making around $75,000 would qualify for the full grant award at the University of Washington. Senate Bill 5554, introduced by Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, would require the college grant to increase each year based on tuition growth.

These bills would allow more students to qualify for financial aid, and ensure that the grant would cover tuition increases.

Randall’s bill also includes “bridge grants,” or annual stipends on top of the college grant, from $500 to $1,000 annually. The bill is supported by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek; Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle; and Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane.

“We want to make sure that we’re opening up as many doorways of opportunity to students and to employers that need a well-trained workforce,” Randall said.

She said that state financial aid is the No. 1 priority for student advocates from the Washington Student Association and student lobbyists, and has received overwhelming support from students.

“This policy is important to me because it’s about our workforce, our economy, about a future for all of us, but it’s also about the individual stories of people who will be impacted,” Randall said.

Under the current rules, students working on a four-year undergraduate degree have five years to use the Washington College Grant money. House Bill 1156 would increase that timeline to six years.

Becky Thompson, director of student financial assistance at the Washington Student Achievement Council, said in the past the shorter timeline has caused some students to lose the necessary funding to finish their education.

Both Thompson and Rep. Vandana Slatter, a Bellevue Democrat who sits on the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee, say state aid is underused since college enrollment has plummeted in the nation and in Washington. The grant program is adjusted to reflect how many students are eligible, so if fewer students enroll, there will be less money for aid.

The council reported last year that college enrollment in the state remained below pre-pandemic levels, with community colleges reporting the largest declines.

Thompson said the state’s Caseload Forecast Council, which forecasts caseloads for entitlement programs such as the Washington College Grant, estimated over 88,000 students would enroll for the 2022 academic year.

Adán Mendosa is a student at Central Washington University in his fifth year, studying economics and political science. He’s also the vice president of legislative affairs for the Washington Student Association.

Mendosa said extending the college grant would help other low-income students by giving them more time to complete their education.

“It’s also that huge personal aspect of it, where it’s not an option you have to postpone the immediate return to education to earn wages so that you can keep a roof over your head, food in your belly and sustain your family,” Mendosa said.

Before the pandemic, he went to Columbia Basin College and had to postpone transferring to a four-year institution to help his single mother who supports four children. He dropped from full-time student status to part-time due to financial strain, meaning he had to take more classes and quarters to finish his credentials.

Slatter said most students take more than four years to finish their degrees because they switch majors, drop full-time status or drop out.

Thompson said university and college financial aid administrators brought this issue to the council’s attention since it reduces the administrative burden on college administrators.

UW spokesperson Victor Balta said in an email that aligning federal and state financial aid will help with administration of the programs, and alleviate student confusion.

“It has been difficult to keep two different time frames in our system and it has been more difficult to help students find enough resources for the last year of their program,” Balta wrote.

“I wouldn’t be here in college without the Washington College Grant, putting it plain and simple,” Mendosa said. “It gave me the funds to attend college in the first place.”