OLYMPIA – A package of bills signed into law today will help the state and its higher education system to continue providing quality education under ongoing state budget cuts.
Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, is the prime sponsor of House Bill 1795, which will allow public four-year institutions to set tuition rates to meet local demand, while also increasing financial aid for low and middle-income students. Performance measures and reporting requirements will allow lawmakers and the public to monitor how tuition rates are affecting students, and several measures will help students graduate on time or earlier.
“Our challenge as a state is to find a thoughtful balance between ongoing state budget deficits and a significant need for access, affordability and quality in our state colleges and universities,” Carlyle said. “This legislation embraces the differences within our public college system and boosts financial aid that will bring relief for real students needing real relief.”
Rep. Tim Probst, D-Vancouver, introduced House Bill 2088 to help students earn degrees in high-employer demand fields. With the creation of the Opportunity Expansion Program, the state will increase the number of students obtaining high-demand, high-wage jobs at state four-year colleges and the Opportunity Scholarship Program will provide scholarships to low and middle-income students earn degrees in high-demand careers and other educational programs.
At today’s bill signing ceremony, the Boeing and Microsoft companies announced they will each be putting $25 million into the Opportunity Scholarship Program.
“Washington is the first state in the nation to create a scholarship program like this,” Probst said. “We hope that other companies will follow Microsoft and Boeing’s incredible example, so we can offer 10,000 scholarships or more before Christmas of this year.”
Also signed today, held at Seattle’s Cleveland High School, were Senate Bill 5749, making minor changes to the actuarially-sound Guaranteed Education Tuition program, and Senate Bill 5182, eliminating the Higher Education Coordinating Board and transferring their functions.
“In order to compete in tomorrow’s economy, Washington simply must become better educated and better skilled,” said Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor and chair of the House Higher Education Committee. “With the bipartisan leadership and significant community involvement in this great set of higher education legislation, we’ve set the foundation for success in our colleges and universities.”
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