Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 28B.145 · 18 active provisions
The legislature finds that, despite increases in degree production, there remain acute shortages in high employer demand programs of study, particularly in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and health care fields of study. According to the workforce training and education coordinating board,…
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Board" means the opportunity scholarship board.(2) "Council" means the student achievement council.(3) "Eligible advanced degree program" means a health professional degree program beyond the baccalaureate l…
(1) The opportunity scholarship board is created. The board consists of eleven members:(a) Six members appointed by the governor. For three of the six appointments, the governor shall consider names from a list provided by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives; and(b) Five foundati…
(1) The program administrator shall provide administrative support to execute the duties and responsibilities provided in this chapter, including but not limited to publicizing the program, selecting participants for the opportunity scholarship award, distributing opportunity scholarship awards, and achieving the maxim…
(1) The opportunity scholarship program is established.(2) The purpose of this scholarship program is to provide scholarships that will help low and middle-income Washington residents earn professional-technical certificates, professional-technical degrees, baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other progra…
(1) The opportunity scholarship match transfer account is created in the custody of the state treasurer as a nonappropriated account to be used solely and exclusively for the opportunity scholarship program created in RCW 28B.145.040 and the local government partner promise programs authorized in RCW 28B.145.140. The p…
The office of student financial assistance and the institutions of higher education may not consider awards made under the opportunity scholarship program to be state-funded for the purpose of determining the value of an award for other state financial aid programs.
(1) The opportunity expansion program is established.(2) The board shall select institutions of higher education to receive opportunity expansion awards. In so doing, the board must:(a) Solicit, receive, and evaluate proposals from institutions of higher education that are designed to directly increase the number of ba…
(1) Annually each December 1st, the board, together with the program administrator, shall report to the council, the governor, and the appropriate committees of the legislature regarding the rural jobs program, the opportunity scholarship program, and the opportunity expansion program, including but not limited to:(a)…
(1) Beginning in 2018, the joint legislative audit and review committee shall evaluate the opportunity scholarship and opportunity expansion programs, and submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2018. The committee's evaluation shall include, but not be limited to:(a) The number…
(1) All institutions of higher education that participate in the opportunity scholarship program, including a local government partner promise scholarship program pursuant to RCW 28B.145.140, shall provide timely verification of eligibility information to the program administrator.(2) Beginning in 2025, the education r…
(1) The board may elect to have the state investment board invest the funds in the scholarship account, the student support pathways account, the advanced degrees pathways account, and the endowment account described under RCW 28B.145.030(2)(b). If the board so elects, the state investment board has the full power to i…
(1)(a) The rural county high employer demand jobs program is created to meet the workforce needs of business and industry in rural counties by assisting students in earning certificates, associate degrees, or other industry-recognized credentials necessary for employment in high employer demand fields.(b) Subject to th…
(1) For the purposes of the rural jobs program, the program administrator shall:(a) Jointly with the board, solicit and accept donations, grants, and contributions from private sources via direct payment, pledge agreement, or escrow account, for deposit into the student support pathways account created in this section,…
(1) The rural jobs program match transfer account is created in the custody of the state treasurer as a nonappropriated account to be used solely and exclusively for the rural jobs program created in RCW 28B.145.100. The purpose of the rural jobs program match transfer account is to provide state matching funds for the…
(1) A local government partner may establish its own promise scholarship program within the opportunity scholarship program. The local government partner promise scholarship program shall be administered by the Washington state opportunity scholarship program. The program administrator shall assist the local government…
This chapter may be known and cited as the opportunity scholarship act.
This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [June 6, 2011].