Subject to availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the college board shall administer a free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid outreach and completion initiative pilot program.

(1) The college board shall select community or technical colleges to participate in the pilot program. The colleges selected to participate must each be located within educational service districts that are in the bottom two for free application for federal student aid completion rates when combining their respective school districts’ free application for federal student aid completion rates over the past three completed academic years prior to June 9, 2022. Colleges selected to participate shall employ outreach specialists to work directly with the high schools located in the corresponding educational service district. It is the legislature’s intent that the outreach specialists be employed at a ratio of one to 600 high school seniors within the corresponding educational service district. The outreach specialists shall make significant contact with high school students and their families for the purpose of increasing free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion rates. The outreach specialists shall use the free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid data maintained by the student achievement council to conduct targeted outreach and free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion assistance to high school seniors. The outreach specialists shall also provide information on how to access private scholarships. The outreach specialists shall conduct other outreach as appropriate, including virtual or in-person presentations with students and families, announcements on school intercoms and social media channels, outreach to recent high school graduates as peer messengers, and events at school college or career fairs.

(2) The college board shall report annually to the appropriate committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW 43.01.036 beginning December 1, 2023, on the free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid outreach and completion initiative pilot program. The report must include details on how the colleges selected used the funding and how the initiatives worked to increase free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion rates. The report must also include before and after free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid completion data and specific details about the number of high school students assisted in completing the free application for federal student aid and Washington application for state financial aid.

Intent—2022 c 214: See note following RCW 28B.77.300.