Washington has some of the strongest state financial aid programs in the country. These programs support a diverse set of educational opportunities--from certificate programs to associate and bachelor's degrees. They are available to help cover the costs of tuition for many low- and middle-income students. Washington's commitment to helping…

Since 2019, high school seniors from low-income households in the state of Washington have received guidance from OtterBot, an interactive chatbot texting tool with artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The chatbot, designed by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), provides information to simplify the complex processes involved…

College students who are parents or caregivers of dependent children make up more than one in five U.S. undergraduates. Colleges need basic information about the experiences and outcomes of the student parents they serve, since these students face distinct challenges, including high rates of economic insecurity and significant time and caregiving…

This strategic action plan highlights policy and funding recommendations to make significant progress toward Washington's educational attainment goals. To meet those goals, adults ages 25-44 in Washington will hold a high school diploma, and at least 70 percent will have a postsecondary credential. Significant progress will require systemic…

The College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) Program is a federal formula grant designed to foster partnerships among federal, state, and local governments and philanthropic entities to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Created by the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, the…

This publication for students in Washington State is a guide to locating and applying for postsecondary scholarships and a bibliography of scholarship resources. A section, "How to Search for Scholarships," describes in eight steps the process of locating scholarships that fit a student's talents and abilities. The section, "How to…

This staff report on unserved students (students who commit to attend but do not enroll at a college or university) focuses on whether adequate financial resources could be a reason for their non-attendance. Applicants were categorized by need and by the date of their application for financial aid; and further classified as potential students of…

During the 1989-90 academic year, the Washington community colleges enrolled nearly 15,000 individuals receiving public assistance under the Family Independence Program (FIP) and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), representing about 5% of the total student population. A joint project was conducted by the staff of the State Board for…

This handbook on obtaining college financial aid for students in the state of Washington offers step-by-step instructions for applying for aid and a reference guide to state, federal, and institutional types of aid available. A first section describes how to begin and introduces the book. A following section details the general considerations in…

Student financial aid is the primary means by which the federal government encourages broad access to higher education and promotes an educated citizenry, and it is a major component of Washington State's efforts to ensure necessary educational opportunities for its residents. This report provides an overview of both federal and Washington State…

This study examined the use of education tax credits at four community colleges using data from the Federal Quality Assurance Program in 1998, the first year of the HOPE Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Tax Credit (LLTC). Preliminary estimates indicated that the two tax credits were expected to primarily benefit middle-income tax filers with…