By John McCallum, West Plains Stream contributor
A state Senate bill sponsored by 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy that would help high school students make more informed decisions about which higher education institution they wish to attend is headed to the House of Representatives.
Senate Bill 6053 would require the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) — created in 2012 and assuming some responsibilities of the former state Higher Education Coordinating Board — to establish a data-agreement with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to share not only information about postsecondary educational opportunities but also financial aid possibilities.
The Senate approved the measure on Feb. 1 by a 48-1 vote. The bill also allows a nonpublic university, college, school or institute in the state to also enter into the student data-sharing agreements with OSPI as long as it is a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by the WSAC.
“This is a really good bill,” Holy, the Republican leader on the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee, said in a news release. “We’re moving forward on the idea that high-school students need to figure out exactly where they’re going to go for postsecondary education.”
Under legislation passed in 2023, OSPI is required to share high school student directory information — which under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is limited to things such as students name, date of birth and contact information — with institutions of higher education in order to provide those students information about higher education opportunities. This information is subsequently shared by the institutions with school districts.
Under FERPA, parents or guardians have the right to inspect and review their student’s education records and the right of refusal to release some information, with the exception of directory information which can be released by the districts without consent.
Under SB 6053, WSAC will now enter into an agreement with OSPI to facilitate exchange of this type of information that now includes information on financial aid options.
“WSAC and the higher ed institutions may only use that directory information to contact students to inform them about financial aid opportunities and higher ed opportunities,” Holy, R-Cheney, said. “The benefit to the student is that WSAC will help them determine exactly what financial aid is available, and then the colleges will let them know which schools they qualify to attend.”
According to the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, Washington led the nation in providing need-based financial aid to undergraduate college students. During the 2021-2022, the state provided an average of $2,008.23 per student, with New Jersey second at $1,790.39 and Virginia third at $1,551.62. Oregon and Idaho provided $810.77 and 249.75 respectively.
College financial aid usually does not come from one source. Aid packages often include a mixture of grants, scholarships, loans and work study options.
“Attending a college or university typically is very expensive. Many students need financial aid to pay for their higher education but aren’t aware what kinds of financial aid are available,” Holy said. “This bill would help students by making it easier for the Washington Student Achievement Council to provide financial aid information to them.”
SB 6053 now moves to the House’s Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee.
