SHB 1136
In CommitteeHouse
Student navigational support
Providing student navigational supports to increase postsecondary enrollment.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill creates a statewide program to help Washington high school students—especially those from low-income households—apply for financial aid and enroll in college or training programs by placing trained outreach and enrollment specialists in schools. It also expands training for school staff and requires data collection to track progress.
- Establishes a postsecondary outreach and enrollment specialist program to provide direct support to high school students with financial aid applications (FAFSA and WA State Financial Aid), enrollment guidance, and connections to campus resources.
- Requires selection of at least one qualified entity per educational service district—such as community/technical colleges, public universities, tribal groups, or community organizations—to employ outreach specialists who work directly with high schools.
- Mandates that specialists prioritize support for students in schools with higher percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and use state data (e.g., from the Student Achievement Council) to target outreach.
- Creates a free financial aid training program for school staff, college personnel, and community partners to ensure at least one qualified financial aid professional per school district, offered at no cost.
- Requires annual reporting to the legislature on program implementation, completion rates of financial aid applications, and first-time postsecondary enrollment within one year of graduation.
- Directs creation of a comprehensive data report (due December 1, 2027) that tracks financial aid completion and enrollment rates before and after program implementation, broken down by demographic groups.
Who is affected
- High school students — High school students—especially those from low-income families—will receive direct support from trained specialists to help them apply for financial aid, complete enrollment steps, and connect with postsecondary opportunities.
- School district staff — School districts and staff (including counselors, teachers, and administrators) will gain access to free training and support to better assist students with financial aid and college enrollment, and may hire or collaborate with outreach specialists.
- Postsecondary institutions and community organizations — Community and technical colleges, public four-year universities, tribal organizations, and community-based groups will be selected to provide outreach specialists and coordinate with local schools to support students.
- State agencies — State agencies—including the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Student Achievement Council, and Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction—will lead implementation, training, data reporting, and coordination efforts.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for concerns
Potential Benefits (5)
The program’s focus on schools with higher percentages of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch targets resources to communities most affected by low FAFSA completion—this is a deliberate equity mechanism, but benefit distribution depends on how well districts implement localized outreach.
EducationRef: Sec. 2(1)(a), Sec. 2(3)Requires specialists to coordinate with existing school counseling staff and provide access to school facilities and student plans, which supports integration into school ecosystems—but does not mandate additional staffing or funding for schools, potentially increasing workload for existing staff.
EducationRef: Sec. 2(5), Sec. 2(6)Mandates a communication plan to inform students and families about specialists’ roles, improving awareness and trust—but effectiveness depends on local capacity to execute outreach effectively.
EducationRef: Sec. 2(7)Offers continuing education credits to educators on financial aid topics, which may incentivize participation—but credits alone may not be sufficient to drive high uptake without additional compensation or time release.
EducationRef: Sec. 4Includes community-based organizations and tribal groups as eligible entities to employ specialists, supporting culturally responsive services and leveraging community trust—though selection criteria and geographic equity are not specified in detail.
EducationRef: Sec. 2(2)(a)(iv)
Potential Concerns (5)
Expands access to postsecondary navigation support for low-income and first-generation students by placing trained specialists in schools—evidence shows such advising increases FAFSA completion and college enrollment, especially among underserved groups.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)(a), Sec. 2(3)Creates a no-cost financial aid training program for school staff, which strengthens school capacity to support students independently over time, reducing reliance on external specialists and building long-term institutional support.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 3Mandates comprehensive data collection and reporting on financial aid completion and enrollment by demographic group, enabling accountability and targeted interventions—this supports equity monitoring and program refinement.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2(10), Sec. 4Requires collaboration between outreach specialists and school staff to align services, which helps avoid duplication and builds shared ownership of student outcomes—though success depends on implementation quality.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(6), Sec. 2(8)Annual reporting and evaluation requirements provide transparency and allow for legislative oversight, supporting continuous improvement of the program.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(9), Sec. 3(2)
Who Is Most Affected
High school students—especially those from low-income households—gain direct access to personalized support in navigating financial aid and enrollment. Evidence shows such interventions significantly increase FAFSA completion and college enrollment for first-generation and low-income students.
School staff (counselors, teachers) benefit from free training and continuing education credits, but may face added coordination responsibilities without additional staffing or compensation. Long-term, this could reduce counseling burden if specialists fully integrate; short-term, it may increase workload.
Community/technical colleges, public universities, tribal organizations, and community-based organizations gain funding and operational roles, expanding their reach into K–12 systems. However, small community-based organizations may struggle with capacity to meet staffing ratios (e.g., 1 specialist per 600 seniors) without additional support.
State agencies (OSPI, Student Achievement Council, State Board for Community & Technical Colleges) gain expanded coordination responsibilities and data infrastructure needs, but no significant budget increase is specified—implementation success hinges on interagency collaboration and adequate resourcing.