SB 5789
In CommitteeSenate
State financial aid/credits
Restoring state financial aid assistance to a maximum of 125 percent of credits needed to graduate.
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 expands state financial aid programs to help more low-income and vulnerable students in Washington access college or apprenticeships. It increases the maximum time students can receive aid, broadens eligibility to include students whose families receive public benefits, and creates new support for foster youth and homeless young adults. It also streamlines automatic enrollment in the College Bound Scholarship for qualifying students.
- Expands the Washington College Grant to cover up to 125% of the published program length (e.g., 6 years for a 4-year degree) and extends eligibility to students whose families receive public assistance—including basic food benefits—starting in the 2025–26 academic year.
- Creates the Passport to Careers program with two pathways: one for college (‘Passport to College Promise’) and one for apprenticeships, offering supplemental aid to former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless young adults up to age 21.
- Amends the College Bound Scholarship to allow eligible students to receive awards for up to four full-time years within five years of high school graduation, and automatically enrolls qualifying students (e.g., those receiving free/reduced-price lunch) with no application needed.
- Requires institutions to report on degree completion and aid usage, and mandates the Office of Student Financial Assistance to coordinate with schools and agencies to identify and support eligible students.
- Sets a five-year or 125% program-length limit on aid for all three programs (Washington College Grant, College Bound Scholarship, and Passport to Careers), with exceptions for income increases of ≤3% for continuing eligibility.
Who is affected
- Low-income high school students — Low-income high school students (especially those receiving free/reduced-price lunch, or whose families receive public assistance like basic food, ABD, or pregnant women assistance) become eligible for the Washington College Grant and automatic enrollment in the College Bound Scholarship program, increasing access to tuition-free or reduced-cost college.
- Foster youth and unaccompanied homeless young adults — Current or former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth ages 13–21 may receive supplemental scholarships and support services to help cover tuition, fees, books, and other costs for college or apprenticeships.
- Institutions of higher education and apprenticeship programs — Public and private colleges, universities, and apprenticeship programs in Washington must implement new reporting, verification, and coordination requirements to support students receiving state aid, and may receive incentives for improving outcomes for eligible students.
- State agencies involved in education and social services — State agencies—including the Office of Student Financial Assistance, OSPI, and DCYF—must share data and coordinate efforts to identify and notify eligible students, and ensure program integrity.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Expanding Washington College Grant eligibility to students in households receiving basic food benefits—and automatically enrolling FRPL-eligible students in the College Bound Scholarship—dramatically lowers barriers to access for low-income students, especially those in high-poverty districts where family instability and documentation barriers currently prevent aid applications.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(a)(iv), Sec. 2(1)(a)(i)-(ii)The Passport to Careers program uniquely targets foster youth and unaccompanied homeless young adults—groups with extremely low college completion rates (often <10%)—by offering supplemental aid up to age 21, removing financial barriers that have historically excluded them from postsecondary success.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 4(1), Sec. 4(3), Sec. 4(5)(a)(i)Extending aid eligibility to 125% of program length (e.g., 6 years for a 4-year degree) aligns with real-world completion timelines—many low-income and nontraditional students take longer to graduate due to work, childcare, or health issues—reducing the risk of students losing aid mid-degree and increasing completion odds.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(6), Sec. 2(6), Sec. 4(5)(b), Sec. 4(6)(c)Automatic enrollment in the College Bound Scholarship—without requiring students or families to complete complex applications—removes a major administrative barrier for low-income and first-generation students, who often miss deadlines or fail to submit paperwork, thereby increasing program uptake and reducing equity gaps.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(a), Sec. 2(2)(c)The bill requires colleges to develop plans for identifying, tracking, and supporting Passport scholars—including during academic breaks—addressing a known gap where homeless and foster youth lack housing and support during summer months, which often leads to dropout.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 4(4), Sec. 4(5)(d)(i)
Potential Concerns (5)
The bill increases state spending on postsecondary aid by expanding eligibility and extending award periods (up to 125% of program length), requiring new state funding without specifying offsets—potentially diverting funds from other K–12 or social services over time. While the bill frames this as an investment in students, the fiscal burden falls on general fund resources shared across all public services.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(6), Sec. 4(5)(b), Sec. 4(6)(c)Automatic enrollment in the College Bound Scholarship for students receiving free/reduced-price lunch (FRPL) is a major expansion, but the FRPL data system is not universally accurate—some students above the 65% state median income threshold may be enrolled inappropriately, diluting aid for the most needy and increasing administrative errors that could delay or deny aid to truly low-income students.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(a)(iv), Sec. 2(1)(a)The 3% income increase threshold for continued eligibility may unintentionally disqualify students whose families experience modest, non-luxury income gains (e.g., a parent getting a part-time raise), disproportionately affecting working-class families just above poverty thresholds—despite the bill’s intent to support vulnerable students.
FinancialLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(7), Sec. 4(5)(a)(ii)The bill incentivizes colleges to improve outcomes for Passport scholars, but the financial incentives are not tied to measurable completion metrics—potentially rewarding institutions that enroll more eligible students without improving graduation rates, and leaving smaller institutions without capacity to meet reporting/incentive requirements at a competitive disadvantage.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 4(5)(d)(ii), Sec. 4(5)(e)The bill mandates interagency data sharing (OSPI, DCYF, OSFA) and reporting, increasing administrative burden on state and local education agencies without new dedicated staffing or funding—potentially straining already overburdened school counselors and social workers.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 5 (reporting requirement), Sec. 4(2) (advisory committee)
Who Is Most Affected
Low-income high school students (especially those on free/reduced-price lunch or in households receiving basic food benefits) gain direct access to tuition-free college pathways earlier and more reliably, with reduced application barriers. This group is most likely to benefit from automatic enrollment and expanded eligibility.
Foster youth and unaccompanied homeless young adults gain targeted, supplemental support—including aid through age 21, housing-adjacent support planning, and flexible verification (e.g., essay-based homelessness attestation)—which directly addresses their historically low college completion rates.
Public institutions of higher education gain new funding streams and reporting obligations, but also face increased administrative costs and pressure to improve completion metrics for vulnerable student subgroups. Smaller or under-resourced institutions may struggle to meet new requirements without additional state support.
State agencies (OSFA, OSPI, DCYF) must coordinate data sharing and outreach, increasing workload without new staffing or funding—though this may improve interagency coordination long-term. Local school districts will also bear outreach and verification responsibilities.
Apprenticeship programs benefit from expanded eligibility under Passport to Careers, potentially increasing participation from low-income and foster youth—but may lack infrastructure to support this new cohort without additional technical assistance.