[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6380649,"mediaKeyId","2130327-4eb8d757ee81eca09a88f26b778045f0","parentId",2130327,"title","House committee considers expanding FAFSA/WASFA navigators statewide to boost postsecondary enrollment","audioSeconds",1917,"startMs",3474630,"endMs",5391995,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2130327-4eb8d757ee81eca09a88f26b778045f0&start=3474&end=5391","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2130327-4eb8d757ee81eca09a88f26b778045f0/thumbnail_3474630.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6380649/Washington/House-committee-considers-expanding-FAFSAWASFA-navigators-statewide-to-boost-postsecondary-enrollment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380649-691d708931710e9c0fed7ba080e9d8c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687829&Signature=AO7-uzjyRwnpGHMOamJRpZ0IeK88-h2YG50wDPid4ORpyQ79b5O5KXL~6QE~E113mtUwNwwozBFZ-A4sP8PL8QNdtUaQBiXfstpil~ZFM5CiaiJJ3BNATiX5h9m0TSdx9yLRin17z75yjbeeh2~pu4MICFH0wWooP~rn7qhspRQ9orrWSEkyPFi9hcuveJ91q9J6cCiwJCluiwiiD7PAVakGDsTDgwTMvM2T6hQSboWIyndPEyxr5UcIIT4zeT7dhpDOdIzHjClhxPmo2sgJ-evUC5M~tFQjXjImOSyx2B9RD8SyPyYbsDx3mIWfBBEY8jKKLJeo62Oq2WasEs6lxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Postsecondary Education & Workforce","date","2025-01-17T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 1136, a proposal to expand a pilot program that places outreach and enrollment specialists in education service districts to raise completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA), received broad support at a public hearing of the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee.

The bill would repeal the existing pilot and establish a statewide Financial Aid Completion and Postsecondary Enrollment Program. Under the proposal, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) must select at least one entity in each education service district — a community and technical college (CTC), a public four‑year institution, a tribal organization or a community‑based organization — to employ outreach and enrollment specialists. The specialists would conduct targeted outreach and application assistance to high school seniors and coordinate with secondary‑school counseling programs. The bill also requires an Education Data Center report on FAFSA/WASFA completion rates by high school and a no‑cost financial‑aid training program for school staff and community partners. The SBCTC is to report to the Legislature beginning Jan. 15, 2026; the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) must offer continuing education credits for in‑service educators on the topic by Sept. 1, 2027, and make recommendations on incentives by Oct. 1, 2028.

Elizabeth Allison, staff to the committee, summarized the bill and its arc from the 2022 pilot to the proposed statewide expansion. She told members the pilot selected CTCs in education service districts with low FAFSA completion rates and required outreach specialists to use student‑achievement council data for targeted contact. Allison said HB 1136 would require the program statewide and allow SBCTC flexibility to select the type of entity best suited to each district.

Marie Lovett, the prime sponsor, said the proposal is intended to increase postsecondary attainment and relieve overburdened K–12 counselors by providing “navigators” who focus on financial‑aid application completion and enrollment steps. Lovett described the program as scalable and said the fiscal note will be substantial; she emphasized that the plan is not intended to replace school counselors but to supplement them, particularly in districts with higher proportions of students eligible for free or reduced‑price lunch.

Colleen Hall, assistant director for outreach at Columbia Basin College, which participated in the pilot, described local results: an eight‑person navigator team serving roughly 35,100 seniors in ESD 123 and a 44% year‑over‑year increase in the number of students served since the pilot began. Sam Harriott of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges reported a 30% outreach increase in districts where navigators operated. Supporters including the Foundation for Tacoma Students, Washington STEM, Stand for Children, Central Washington University and student groups testified that navigators help students — especially first‑generation, low‑income and rural students — access financial aid and postsecondary options.

Several witnesses asked the committee to ensure apprenticeships and other non‑college postsecondary pathways are explicitly included. Mina Long of the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council said the council supports the bill if apprenticeship pathways are included or — if not intended — suggested replacing “postsecondary” with “college” to make intent clear.

Members asked procedural and budget questions. Ranking Member Ibarra asked whether the bill would increase FTEs at high schools or ESDs; staff said the program would create positions for each education service district. Committee staff said a fiscal note had been requested and was expected soon; the sponsor, Lovett, acknowledged the fiscal impact would be “big” and emphasized that the expansion could be scaled.

Jenny Morgan of the Washington School Counselor Association urged that counselors be adequately funded and warned that counselor positions have been cut in districts this year; she said navigators should supplement, not supplant, counselors. Dozens of organizations and student speakers supported the bill, and the public sign‑in list showed substantial public comment in both directions: the clerk announced 360 non‑testifying sign‑ins (54 pro, 302 con, 4 other) for the bill during the hearing.

The committee did not take a vote during the hearing. Staff will provide the pending fiscal note and additional technical details before any executive action.

Ending: The committee’s record shows broad stakeholder support for targeted outreach and training, proponents citing measurable increases in FAFSA/WASFA completion in pilot districts; the committee will consider the fiscal note and possible amendments before scheduling executive action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Postsecondary Education & Workforce - 1/17/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1136 would expand a pilot that places outreach and enrollment specialists in education service districts to improve FAFSA and WASFA completion and postsecondary enrollment by providing specialists, training and data reporting statewide.","taxTitle","Postsecondary Education & Workforce, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20275,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380644,"House staff briefing highlights post‑pandemic enrollment declines and tangled tuition, aid and funding links",2280,341930,2622770,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2130327-4eb8d757ee81eca09a88f26b778045f0&start=341&end=2622","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2130327-4eb8d757ee81eca09a88f26b778045f0/thumbnail_341930.jpg","/articles/6380644/Washington/House-staff-briefing-highlights-postpandemic-enrollment-declines-and-tangled-tuition-aid-and-funding-links","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380644-34c2be0983b4684de362adf37436ec9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687829&Signature=gMktJ-K549PN9IDwoUPuQtHpGpwvknMHXxyBu31tX3NfLDXozg2C8Mb0Hjwe4zNHuZrFkLVFNpGXX2guG8OVGJwuV4e9LG4VEvNHA3eS71EeW59eDBisucw0wJDDk3o8-0GHTzYv6bakXm52Q~cxxqOMNc5FdaEPzWy3j3zFKYDokBP5ePkH7X~dLSLB8jWhI0ykOEU9Mq5HazWLRwP~BUH1khNAqvuMabUFli8ralfk-ynye7e3q6vhBMBNg0GZeB3cbfbVbGhEaMrLp1ixTnYfc9jl~zmMGRJ5BfvwK7r7g44AvZFDEGetMwnOkDr7ZBksVClAhGfkc1O3GGElfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Appropriations staff presented a work‑session briefing to the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee covering Washington’s higher‑education institutions, enrollment trends, tuition authority, state financial‑aid programs and funding sources.

Kate Henry, staff to the House Appropriations Committee, told members there are two research universities (University of Washington and Washington State University), four comprehensive/regional public universities (Eastern, Central, Evergreen and Western), 34 community and technical colleges (CTCs) and more than 200 registered apprenticeship programs across the state. Henry said the public four‑year institutions together serve about 100,000 full‑time equivalent (FTE) students in the current academic year; the CTC system serves roughly 102,000 FTEs and about 151,000 headcount, reflecting a larger share of part‑time and short‑term enrollments.

Henry walked the committee through enrollment history: the CTCs experienced the steepest drops during the COVID‑19 pandemic and statewide enrollments have not returned to pre‑pandemic levels. She noted institutional scale—UW around 50,000 FTE and WSU about 23,000 FTE—and that enrollments vary by resident and nonresident composition. On national comparison, staff said other states have seen similar trends and that the mix of resident and nonresident students in Washington complicates simple comparisons.

On tuition, Henry described the history of tuition‑revenue treatment: prior to 1993 the legislature set tuition and deposited revenue to the state general fund; since 1993 institutions have retained tuition revenue. The state currently caps the annual increase in resident undergraduate operating fees to no more than the average annual percentage growth in Washington’s median hourly wage (roughly 3% using the Bureau of Labor Statistics measure). Henry recounted the 2015 biennial policy that reduced resident undergraduate operating fees with a one‑time $167 million general‑fund backfill and noted adjustments tied to Seattle CPI and other budget provisions.

Henry outlined financial‑aid programs: the state provides more than $1 billion in financial aid in the 2023–25 biennium (staff clarified this amount refers to grants rather than loans) and the Washington College Grant (formerly the State Need Grant) was expanded to cover families up to higher percentiles of median family income (MFI). The statutory maximum award for the Washington College Grant is 55% of tuition in statute, but biennial budget actions have increased the maximum award to 65% for the current biennium; continuation requires budget action or a change in statute. College Bound eligibility, application and award rules were reviewed, including the requirement that recipients generally must be enrolled within a specified timeframe and meet residency and income thresholds.

Henry also explained the Workforce Education Investment Account (WIA), a revenue source created in 2019. The WIA funds have been used for Washington College Grant expansions, compensation adjustments, guided pathways, nurse educator support and other targeted investments. Henry said higher education accounts for about 8% of state NGFO (near‑general fund outlook) dollars in the 2023‑25 biennium (~$6 billion of $72 billion). When total budgeted funds are included (state, tuition and enterprise revenues), higher education represents about 13% of the statewide total (~$18.4 billion of $141 billion).

Representative questions covered national enrollment comparisons, the relation between CTC enrollment and the economy (CTC enrollment historically rises when the economy weakens), the difference between state‑funded FTEs and all FTEs (staff said most charts referenced state‑funded FTEs and excluded self‑sustaining programs), and details about financial‑aid caseload forecasting. Ranking Member Ibarra and other members pressed staff on the WIA account and unallocated reserves; Henry said part of the account’s balance is held in reserve and that the WIA board can propose allocations, but appropriations decisions are ultimately legislative.

Henry closed by emphasizing interdependence: changes in tuition, state appropriations and state‑supported financial aid are linked, so any change in one area affects the others. Committee members requested additional charts and data (longer tuition history, state funds per student by institution, federal vs. state split for financial aid) to be provided to the committee.

Ending: The briefing provided detailed baseline data committee members requested and set the stage for budget‑related questions and follow‑up; staff agreed to provide additional charts, historic data and the forthcoming caseload and fiscal projections.","House Appropriations staff briefed the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee on enrollment trends, tuition history, and the state’s financial‑aid and funding structure for higher education in Washington.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380654,"Committee hears bill to extend K–12 secondary-trauma supports to higher education workforce",3401,44465,3445839,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2130327-4eb8d757ee81eca09a88f26b778045f0&start=44&end=3445","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2130327-4eb8d757ee81eca09a88f26b778045f0/thumbnail_44465.jpg","/articles/6380654/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-extend-K12-secondary-trauma-supports-to-higher-education-workforce","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380654-48d27c119ba0e9de64a11b4eec808248/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687829&Signature=FcBtt~OfZx5ZpOpEfjufeL8gy3p8rJEDE5UTVd9z8GNnf2HdIXLUW-Ip~G9vSEQVXFX8M81jJ3RzoIPC2CE2zWrTlcb7VfzwRgE0LqzzVEB62EnLRherP90XuQeesVwaMBERehqJKTR098nUnyTlbpr0XEw1FHY8uQIs-~GM8v41Rv-o2hRRn~sblMQGzCxTFnbBMNHA6xa5pkeSGtsMQkXY0b~S00sOpcOBiSK7jNaEjQmudZLDRj6dyeDN8nXefUw4OqxXDCHigZM3oBMOrXD3npmzC5k8vYYXZ67bvyzFAeYTi4SKUbH9BH6Rkdz5BmCmpS4pa3I6U3XNYwCKVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1035, which would require public two- and four‑year institutions to adopt model policies and publish links to resources to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the higher‑education workforce, was the subject of a public hearing before the House Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee.

The bill would direct the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the regional university boards to develop and periodically update model policies and procedures that include a workforce mental health committee. Each community and technical college district and regional university would be required to adopt or amend policies that incorporate the model policy, and institutions would post links to resources, self‑assessments and best practices for faculty, staff and trustees.

Saranda Ross, counsel to the committee, summarized the bill for members, saying the legislature previously addressed similar needs in K–12 through substitute House Bill 1363 (2021), which required the Washington State School Directors Association and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to produce model policies and resources. Ross said HB 1035 mirrors that approach for higher education by requiring institutions to publish resources on their websites and to establish workforce mental health committees with duties described in the bill analysis.

Representative Ortiz Self, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the committee the measure “mirrors in many ways what we passed a few years ago” for K–12 and is intended to provide higher‑education instructors and staff the same access to resources. Ortiz Self recounted receiving a call from a college professor who said a student in the professor’s class had died by suicide and that faculty were struggling to process that traumatic event. “Somehow, we expect educators to be strong and not to feel the pain that their students are feeling,” Ortiz Self said, and urged the committee’s support.

Witnesses who testified in support described classroom and campus experiences that supporters said make the bill necessary. Sue Nightingale, representing the Washington Education Association (WEA), told the committee that post‑pandemic students bring “complicated family situations and lives,” and faculty and staff need resources and information similar to what K–12 educators already receive. “The stories that we hear are tragic and sad, and they tend to pile up on us,” Nightingale said.

Bill Line, testifying as a pinch‑hitter for Simone Beau of the WEA, said faculty try to treat students “as whole people” and that repeated exposure to students’ traumatic experiences affects instructors’ ability to do their jobs. Line said HB 1035 would “provide resources for faculty across the state to deal with those kinds of problems as they come up.”

The committee paused the public hearing on HB 1035 to take up a scheduled work session. After the work session the committee returned and closed the HB 1035 hearing without a recorded vote. No formal amendments or roll‑call actions were taken during the hearing.

Supporters urged the committee to act quickly so higher‑education employees have access to developed resources and clear institutional procedures; no opponents offered testimony during the recorded public hearing.

The bill’s text and the committee’s fiscal materials were not discussed in detail during the testimony; the staff briefing referenced duties for workforce mental health committees “listed in the bill analysis.” The committee will consider amendments and next steps in future meetings.

Ending: Committee staff paused the hearing to proceed to a scheduled work session on higher‑education funding and will resume consideration of public testimony and possible next steps for HB 1035 at a later date.","A House committee heard testimony on House Bill 1035, which would require community and technical colleges and regional universities to publish resources and adopt model policies addressing secondary traumatic stress among faculty, staff and trustees; supporters described faculty dealing with student suicides and pandemic-era trauma.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House committee considers expanding FAFSA/WASFA navigators statewide to boost postsecondary enrollment

House staff briefing highlights post‑pandemic enrollment declines and tangled tuition, aid and funding links

Committee hears bill to extend K–12 secondary-trauma supports to higher education workforce