Higher Education Coordinating Board Update

Fall Tour 2011

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Washington Council for High School-College Relations

September 13-23

• Awards nearly $300 million to Washington students annually.

• Serves middle and high school students through GEAR UP and College Bound.

• Oversees the GET program.

• Approves programs for veterans’ benefits.

What does the HECB do?

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Administers state financial aid and college access programs. The HECB:

Provides vision, leadership, and coordination for public higher education in Washington

• Develops a Strategic Master Plan for higher education and System Design Plan to meet capacity needs.

• Sets admission standards.

• Reviews and authorizes degree-granting institutions in Washington under the state’s Degree-granting Institutions Act.

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What does the HECB do?

Financial Aid in Washington

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In 2009-2010…• $2.2 billion - state & federal aid

awarded to needy students.

• Top 3rd state - Washington’s rank for need-based grant aid to undergraduate students.

• Four out of 10 enrolled students received need-based aid.

• WA Legislature committed $289 million to state student aid for 2011-12.

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The College Bound Scholarship offersthe promise of tuition and books to qualifying 7th and 8th graders in Washington.

• College Bound is essentially an early commitment of an enhanced State Need Grant award.

• This scholarship combines with State Need Grant to cover tuition (at public college rates), plus a small book allowance.

• It can be used at two- or four-year public and private colleges and universities in Washington that administer state need grant funds. 

College Bound Scholarship Students

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Expected Graduation Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 TOTALS

Eligible Students* 28,093 28,600 29,856 30,549 117,098

Complete applications 15,970 15,859 20,447 22,626 74,902

Percent of eligible 57% 56% 69% 74% 64%

*The majority of eligible students are those who are eligible for the free/reduced-price lunch program.

College Bound Scholarship Completed Applications

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CBS awards begin in 2012• The first cohort of College Bound students (nearly

16,000) graduate high school in 2012.

• To ensure full funding from the State Need Grant, these students must file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1, 2012.

• Training and resources will be provided to counselors and access partners, to assist students and families with the financial aid process.

• “Preparing for the Freshman Class of 2012” workshop held for college staff and partners covered: Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars Program Other college success programs

Resources for counselors and partners • Webinar: Oct. 11 9:30-11:00 or 11:30-1:00. No

registration required; login information will be sent in early October.

• PowerPoint: “On the Road - What College Bound Students Need to Know About Their Scholarship” - for students and families - available on the HECB website.

• Lists of your district’s CB students: are being sent to middle and high school principals.

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Checklist - to receive the scholarship, you must: Have a complete application on file at HECB. File the FAFSA on or shortly after January 1.

• You must file by February 1.

Graduate high school with a 2.0 GPA or higher. Be a good citizen with no felony convictions. Enroll within one year of high school

graduation in one of the 68 eligible institutions in Washington.

Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (required for FAFSA filing.)

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College Bound Partners

Additional partners with the same mission include:

• Community Center for Education Results• Seattle College Access Network• Alliance for Education• Office Superintendent of Public Instruction• Tacoma College Support Network• Washington College Access Network

The College Success Foundation provides outreach to eligible students and families for sign up, support, and FAFSA completion.

College Bound Counselors

• One College Bound Counselor is located in each ESD.

• College Bound Counselors organize and support College Bound outreach -- supporting College Bound sign-ups.

• Attend ESD clock hour training and learn strategies to incorporate outreach and support of College Bound Scholars into your existing activities.

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Passport to College Promise for Former Foster Youth

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In the 2010-11 academic year, served 380 students at 58 colleges throughout Washington.

Program provides comprehensive assistance through: A $3,000 scholarship per year for college costs. Incentives to colleges for providing specialized

support services such as tutoring, mentoring, resource libraries.

Educational planning and assistance through the SETuP program for youth between the ages of 14 and 18.

College Success Foundation offers support to students and campuses.

Foster youth and alumni of care can complete a consent form to determine eligibility for Passport at: www.hecb.wa.gov/passport

Purpose: • Provide scholarships to low- & middle income students • Encourage residents to study and work in Washington• Earn bachelor’s degrees in high employer demand fields• (e.g. science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health

care and other fields determined by OS Board)

OS Board to be appointed by the Governor Funds provided through a private-public partnership Year 1 – expected to be awarded to students in college Year 2 – high school seniors in 2011-12 expected to be

included in applications available 2/1/2012 for 2012-13 College Success Foundation (CSF) selected as planning

administrator http://www.collegesuccessfoundation.org/

Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (OS) Program

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Washington Scholars

• 2012 Washington Scholars will be honorary recognition only; no monetary scholarship due to legislative state budget reductions.

• Recognizes academic achievement, leadership, and community service.

• Selections are made from nominations of the top 1% of each high school graduating class.

• Nomination materials are distributed to high school principals in late November 2011.

• Candidate applications are due to the HECB postmarked by January 17, 2012.

• Three Scholars and one alternate will be chosen in each of the state’s 49 legislative districts (147 Scholars/49 alternates).

State Merit Scholarships

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Federal student aid updates

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• Campuses are required to post a “net price calculator” on their websites – to provide information to students & families based on their circumstances.

• Families who have filed can have their tax information retrieved from the IRS. However, they can submit the FAFSA prior to completion of taxes and revise later.

• www.fsa4counselors.ed.gov: Provides publications, training, and workbooks.

• MyFSA for students & families www.studentaid.gov: Savings calculator, scholarships, college finder.

GET, Washington’s 529 prepaid tuition plan, lets you buy future college tuition now, with a guaranteed return.

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• Guaranteed: Washington State guarantees that your account will keep pace with rising tuition.

• Use it anywhere: GET units can be used at colleges, universities and vocational schools nationwide.

• Tax Exempt: GET accounts offer tax free growth and withdrawals

• Flexible: Units can be transferred, put on hold, or even refunded if family circumstances change.

Enrollment begins November 1Visit www.get.wa.gov or call 1.800.955.2318

Smarter scholarship searching

Successful January 2010 launch; more than $40 million offered via theWashBoard.org since its inception.

Nearly 30,000 scholarship seekers and 125 providers are registered.

Lists more than 600 scholarships. Available scholarship funds peaked at more than

$14 million in mid-March; scholarships are continually added.

Continues to grow and develop for the benefit of Washington’s students; version 2.0 in development now.

Full demonstration at 2:30 p.m. this afternoon by theWashBoard.org staff.

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Provides year-round services to 4,300 middle and high school students, and 24,000 through partnerships.

Reduces need for remedial courses through rigorous academic preparedness.

Leverages state and local resources to help students and parents, schools and communities prepare and aspire for college.

Proven to raise expectations, increase rates of high school graduation, college enrollment, persistence and completion.

Washington State GEAR UP:

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GEAR UP enters new funding cycle.

Resources available for schools:

• Getting Ready for College and Career Readiness - handbooks for 7th–12th grades at www.gearup.wa.gov

• GEAR UP Facebook: www.facebook.com/GEARUPWA

• GEAR UP Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/GEARUPWA

GEAR UP West Conference in Portland, ORon Oct 16-18, 2011. 20

Minimum College Admission Standards (MCAS) and College Academic Distribution Requirements (CADR)

• Intent - Help ensure students admitted to baccalaureate institutions are academically prepared to enter college and earn degrees.

• Represents the minimum level of preparation required for admission; does not guarantee admission - institutions may require higher standards.

• Students should be encouraged to enroll in challenging coursework throughout their HS careers.

Revised admissions standards

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MCAS/CADR - No changes in these areas for students entering college in 2012:• SAT/ACT - required (encourage ALL to take).• 2.0 GPA – required.• English - 4 credits including 3 of college prep composition or

literature.• Mathematics - 3 credits including Algebra I, Geometry, and

Algebra II, or Integrated Math I, II, and III. One math-based quantitative course must be taken in the senior year.

• Science - 2 credits of laboratory science, including one algebra-based.

• Social Science - 3 credits of history or other social science.• Arts - 1 credit of fine, visual or performing arts.• Local oversight - School districts determine which of their

courses fulfill the new college admission standards.• Up to 15% of freshmen may be admitted at each institution’s

discretion even if the students do not meet state minimums.22

Revised admissions standards

Revised admissions standards

MCAS and CADR - Minor Policy Revisions – 2011

• Students encouraged to complete at least three credits of CADR coursework in each year of high school.

• Demonstration of competency to meet CADR. Students may meet the World Language requirement (2 credits of the same world language, Native American language, or American Sign Language) by demonstrating competency on a district approved assessment consistent with SBE policy and American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines.

• Greater flexibility in allowing high school-level sequential courses taken in middle school to count toward fulfilling CADR.

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Contact us for more information

Higher Education Coordinating Board hecb.wa.gov

Vicki Merkel: vickim@hecb.wa.gov 360.753.7853Rachelle Sharpe: rachelle@hecb.wa.gov

360.753.7872 ______________________________________________

General HECB Number - 360.753.7800Student Financial Assistance1.888.535.0747

College Bound Scholarship360.596.4808 Facebook for students:I am College Bound

Facebook for counselors and partners:Washington is College Bound

Jim West- MCAS and CDAR questions 360.753.7890jimw@hecb.wa.gov

TheWashboard.org Mary Beth Lambert at mblcommunications@comcast.net Facebook: theWashBoard.org

GET Program – 1.877.438.8848

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