Rep. Kenney’s Opportunity Grant
program moves through the House

Bill will re-brand state’s many financial aid opportunities under one name

March 10, 2009

Washington State is one of the nation’s leaders when it comes to financial aid opportunities for college-bound students.

It’s a blessing that our state has so many opportunities and a curse that they are sometimes hard to find.

With so many options available, it can be difficult for students, parents and teachers to locate the available programs and to know which ones are right for their student.
That barrier will soon be knocked down.

Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney’s House Bill 2021, which received approval from the House on Monday, will re-brand financial aid options from all areas as “Opportunity Grants.” It improves access to everyone – whether to students in the state’s K-12 system or to workers looking to upgrade their skill set – without changing the source or type of aid distributed to prospective students.

Kenney’s hope is that students and parents will come to recognize the Opportunity Grant name, enabling families to seek the program that best satisfies their needs.

“The legislature needed to simplify the way we communicate about financial aid,” Kenney said. “We can let more people know about the resources that are out there and encourage them to take a shot at a postsecondary education.”

This legislation is a result of a joint House and Senate Higher Education work group that convened over the interim. The group also reviewed the state’s financial aid programs to identify those programs that are most efficient and direct resources to those programs in order to best serve students with the greatest financial need.

This bill also strengthens support for students in dual enrollment programs by allowing higher education institutions to use their aid funds to assist these students.

“Our state ranks near the top of available financial aid opportunities in the country,” Kenney said. “It only makes since that we have one of the best systems for offering those opportunities, as well.”