Senate approves guarantee, new name for state Need Grant

OLYMPIA – Washington would give one of its main college aid programs more money and a new name under a bill that passed the Senate on Saturday.

On a 27-18 vote, the Senate approved major changes to the state Need Grant, which currently is available to students whose families are at or below 70 percent of the state median income level. But it is contingent on money approved by the Legislature, and more than 19,000 students who qualify don’t get grants because the money runs out.

The new system, to be renamed the College Promise Scholarship, would be guaranteed for students from families who are at or below 110 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $26,000 a year for a family of four. If there is money left in the program after all those students receive scholarships, it would be distributed to other low-income students above that level on a sliding scale.

“These are the poorest of the poor,” said Sen. Guy Palumbo, D-Maltby. “If they are qualified, we will help them go to college.”

But Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Spokane, argued the change was creating a new entitlement program, over which the Legislature will have less control. Other Republicans argued the grade requirement for remaining in the scholarship program, a grade-point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, was too low.

Sen. Maureen Walsh, R-Walla Walla, said the requirement should be a minimum GPA of 2.5, because students at that level and above have a higher likelihood of graduating. “I don’t want it to be the ‘Broken Promise Scholarship,’” she said.

The scholarship doesn’t cover all college costs, said Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, so the state may actually be hurting students with the lower GPA who eventually drop out because they may also be taking out more loans, and incurring more debt.

But Democrats argued that 2.0 is a reasonable GPA, particularly for students in new situations and those who are working while going to school or have families.

A GPA of 1.0 is enough to pass, said Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood.

“We are saying to them, if you work hard you will have an opportunity in this state,” said Sen. David Frockt, D-Seattle. “It’s not free college, it’s a step up.”

The bill now goes to the House, where similar legislation is pending in the Appropriations Committee.