The release of the House and Senate proposed 2010 supplemental budgets earlier this week reflected the hard work of the higher education sector in Washington (i.e. students, faculty, and institutions) to lobby the Washington Legislature on the importance of state financial aid to access and affordability of higher education and the state’s dedication to funding these programs.
Both chambers restored funding for the State Need Grant, restored partial funding for the State Work Study program, and maintained commitments to current recipients of several smaller grant programs.
Though the overall outcome is a positive one for state financial aid in Washington, the details between the House and Senate proposal are worth noting.
Below is a table that summarizes the impact of the proposed operating budgets on the financial aid programs managed by the Higher Education Coordinating Board. In addition, what follows is a brief definition of the lesser known financial aid programs and the details behind the numbers for each proposal on the table. Please note that the Table is sparse regarding the Governor’s proposal. Detals are provided in the narrative that follows.
State Work Study
Governor
Suspends funding for this program.
Senate
Maintains average student earnings at current levels. Increases required employer share of wages to approx. 50% (formerly 35%)for proprietary employers and 30% (formerly 20%) for non-profits . Discontinues eligibility to non-resident students.
House
Reduces the amount of money students can earn for college in an academic year through part-time work with their wages subsidized by the state.
Washington Scholars
Provides four-year scholarships equivalent to approximately 90 percent of full tuition for three outstanding high school graduates from each legislative district each year.
Governor
Suspends funding for this program.
Senate
Does not award new scholarships for 2010 high school graduates. Freezes current award grant levels for current recipients.
Passport to College
The program includes college awareness, preparation, and mentoring for young people currently in foster care to encourage them to pursue higher education; scholarships for those who enroll in college; and incentives for their college and university to provide counseling and other supports that will enhance the young person’s success in college.
Senate
Reduces funding by one-third.
State-Funded GEAR-UP Projects
Provides pre-collegiate preparation services to students in school districts without structured college access programs.
Senate
Reduces funding by one-third.
House
Reduces funding for this program by reducing the number of school districts served by the state GEAR UP program.
WAVE (Washington Award for Vocational Excellence)
Provides two-year scholarships equivalent to full tuition for three outstanding high school vocational/technical graduates from each legislative district each year.
Senate
Does not award new scholarships for 2010 high school graduates. Freezes current award grant levels for current recipients.
Health Professional Loans & Scholarships
The loan repayment provides loan payment assistance to licensed primary care health professionals. The scholarship provides conditional scholarships to students training to become primary care health professionals. In return, program participants agree to provide primary care health care in rural or underserved urban areas with designated shortages.
Senate
Suspends funding for this program. Funding continues to be available for scholarships and three-year loan re-payment commitments awarded in previous years.
House
Reduces funding for this program. Individuals currently receiving scholarships or loan repayment benefits will continue to receive them, the number of new scholarships and loan repayment awards is reduced.
Future Teachers Scholarships
In return for conditional scholarships or loan repayments, participants agree to teach in Washington K-12 public schools. Selection criteria include academic ability, contributions to the public school system, potential to serve as a positive role model for students, length of time until completion of the education program, and commitment to serve as a Washington classroom teacher.
Governor
Suspends funding for this program.
Senate
Suspends funding for this program. Funding continues to be available for current recipients who were awarded scholarships in previous years to complete their studies.
House
Suspends funding for this program. Students currently receiving scholarships or loan repayment benefits will continue to receive them, the number of new scholarship and loan repayment awards is reduced.
Community School Matching Grants
Provides $2,000 matching awards as an incentive for non-profit, community-based organizations to raise local dollars for college student scholarships.
House
Reduces funding for this program.
Western Interstate Compact for Higher Education (WICHE) Professional Student Exchange
Senate
Suspends funding for this program. Funding is available to continue scholarship commitments to current recipients and to pay dues for Washington’s continued participating in the compact so that Washington residents may continue to receive reduced non-resident tuition rates at participating universities in other western states.
State Work Study Math and Science
Targets state work study experience for students considering careers in math and science instruction.
Senate
Suspends funding for this program.
Foster Care Endowment Scholarship
Scholarships come from the earnings from an endowment which are expected to eventually be sufficient to support college scholarships for former foster care recipients.
Senate
No contribution is made in the second year of the biennium toward an endowment fund
Leadership 1000
A College Success Foundation program that recruits private donors to sponsor scholarships and provide mentorship to financially needy students. State funding is leveraged with private donations.
Senate
Suspends funding for this program.
House
Reduces funding for this program.
Educational Opportunity Grants
Provides additional financial assistance for community and technical college graduates who would otherwise b unable to attend a distant public baccalaureate institution because of work or financial obligations in their home community.
Senate
Suspends funding for this program. Funding continues to be available to complete scholarship commitments to current recipients, but no new applicants will be selected for the 2010-11 academic year.
State Need Grant
Governor
Reduces Median Family Income to 50%. Prorates grant awards to serve students eligible under 50% MFI.
Senate
Proposed revenue package directs $136 million into the Education Legacy Trust Account to maintain enrollment and grant levels.
House
Reduces funding for the State Need Grant. Due to higher than anticipated federal aid allocations, the program needs less state funding in FY 2011 than previously estimated. Eligibility and grant awards are not changed. Maintains policy enacted in the 2009-11 biennial budget.