SB 5963
SignedSenate
Passport to careers program
Modifying funding for the passport to careers program and eligibility for the Washington college grant.
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 integrates the passport to careers program into the state’s broader financial aid system by adding its funding to the state financial aid account and allowing passport to careers-eligible students to automatically qualify for the Washington college grant. It also expands who can get the Washington college grant to include more low-income high school students and youth in foster care or homelessness.
- Expands the state financial aid account to include funds for the passport to careers program, allowing money to be pooled with other state aid programs and used for scholarships without annual appropriation.
- Allows students who qualify for the passport to careers program to automatically qualify as income-eligible for the Washington college grant, removing the need for separate financial need documentation.
- Adds new eligibility pathways for the Washington college grant for high school students (grades 10–12) whose families receive Washington basic food benefits (starting in 2025–26) or who qualify for the passport to careers program (starting in 2026–27).
- Clarifies that the passport to careers program is funded through the state financial aid account, and that expenditures for it are exempt from normal appropriation and allotment rules.
- Reaffirms the legislature’s intent to continue funding the passport to careers program beyond the 2019–21 biennium, making it a permanent part of the state financial aid system.
Who is affected
- Low-income high school students (grades 10–12) — Students in grades 10–12 whose families receive public assistance (e.g., basic food, ABD, essential needs and housing support, or pregnant women assistance) may now qualify for the Washington college grant without needing to submit a full financial aid application, and can automatically receive the passport to careers grant if eligible.
- Foster, homeless, and tribal foster youth — Students who qualify for the passport to careers program (e.g., foster youth, homeless youth, or those in tribal foster care) will automatically be considered income-eligible for the Washington college grant, simplifying access to both programs.
- Enrolled college and apprenticeship students — Students enrolled in or accepted into eligible Washington colleges, universities, or registered apprenticeships who meet income and other eligibility criteria will continue to receive need-based grants to cover tuition and other costs.
- Office of Student Financial Assistance — The office of student financial assistance will manage expanded coordination between the passport to careers and Washington college grant programs, including automatic eligibility determinations and streamlined funding flows.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (5)
Expanding Washington College Grant eligibility to high school students (grades 10–12) receiving basic food benefits or qualifying for Passport to Careers removes barriers to accessing financial aid, enabling earlier college planning and reducing administrative burden for low-income students.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2, RCW 28B.92.200(5)(a)(iv) & (v)Automatic qualification for the Washington College Grant for Passport to Careers-eligible students (foster, homeless, tribal foster youth) streamlines access to need-based aid, reducing application fatigue and increasing participation among vulnerable populations.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2, RCW 28B.92.200(5)(a)(iii) & (v); Sec. 1, RCW 28B.76.525(2)Embedding Passport to Careers funding into the State Financial Aid Account and exempting its expenditures from normal appropriation rules provides more stable, predictable funding—reducing annual legislative uncertainty that previously disrupted program continuity.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1, RCW 28B.76.525(3) & (4)The bill reaffirms the legislature’s intent to make Passport to Careers a permanent part of the state financial aid system, enhancing long-term predictability for students and institutions.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2, RCW 28B.92.200(1)The provision allowing transfers from the State Financial Aid Account to the General Fund during 2025–27 creates a potential fiscal risk: if used, it could weaken the dedicated funding stream for student aid, indirectly harming students if general fund priorities shift away from education.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1, RCW 28B.76.525(6)
Potential Concerns (5)
Expanding Washington College Grant eligibility to high school students (grades 10–12) receiving basic food benefits or qualifying for Passport to Careers removes barriers to accessing financial aid, enabling earlier college planning and reducing administrative burden for low-income students.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2, RCW 28B.92.200(5)(a)(iv) & (v)Automatic qualification for the Washington College Grant for Passport to Careers-eligible students (foster, homeless, tribal foster youth) streamlines access to need-based aid, reducing application fatigue and increasing participation among vulnerable populations.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2, RCW 28B.92.200(5)(a)(iii) & (v); Sec. 1, RCW 28B.76.525(2)Embedding Passport to Careers funding into the State Financial Aid Account and exempting its expenditures from normal appropriation rules provides more stable, predictable funding—reducing annual legislative uncertainty that previously disrupted program continuity.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1, RCW 28B.76.525(3) & (4)The bill reaffirms the legislature’s intent to make Passport to Careers a permanent part of the state financial aid system, enhancing long-term predictability for students and institutions.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2, RCW 28B.92.200(1)The provision allowing transfers from the State Financial Aid Account to the General Fund during 2025–27 creates a potential fiscal risk: if used, it could weaken the dedicated funding stream for student aid, indirectly harming students if general fund priorities shift away from education.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1, RCW 28B.76.525(6)
Who Is Most Affected
Low-income high school students (grades 10–12) whose families receive basic food benefits gain streamlined access to both the Washington College Grant and Passport to Careers, reducing paperwork and enabling earlier college planning. This directly supports retention and matriculation to postsecondary education.
Foster, homeless, and tribal foster youth—already eligible for Passport to Careers—gain automatic Washington College Grant eligibility without separate financial documentation, significantly reducing administrative barriers to aid. This improves equity and continuity for a high-risk, high-need group.
Students in college or apprenticeships who meet income and eligibility criteria benefit from more stable, predictable funding and simplified coordination between programs. However, the lack of new appropriation means expansion depends on future budgets, limiting immediate impact.
The Office of Student Financial Assistance gains expanded authority to coordinate programs and automate eligibility, improving operational efficiency. However, increased administrative burden and potential future budget constraints could strain resources.
Higher education institutions and apprenticeship programs benefit from reduced administrative burden (e.g., fewer separate applications) and potentially higher enrollment of aid-eligible students. However, they bear responsibility for verifying eligibility and managing prorated grants.