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

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…