Hi John,

Higher education is a critical strategy to addressing intergenerational poverty.

Over 60% of all job openings will require at least a year or more of postsecondary training according to Washington's Skilled and Educated Workforce 2019-2020 Report. People who graduate from college earn more over their lifetimes, are more economically secure, and are more likely to have access to benefits such as healthcare or retirement funds. These advantages carry over from generation to generation.

However, the high cost of tuition, complicated student aid applications, and barriers to housing and childcare prevent many low-income students from attending, let alone graduating from, higher education institutions in our state, such as technical colleges, community colleges, or four-year colleges and universities. COVID-19 has only made this worse and now many low-income students and students of color are delaying or reconsidering going to college.

To make higher education a reality, low-income students need substantial financial aid to not only afford the rising cost of tuition but, also housing, transportation, childcare, textbooks, and other costs associated with attending college. In 2019, the state legislature passed the Workforce Education Investment Act (WEIA) to fund the Washington College Grant that now pays full tuition and fees for about 110,000 students from low-income households. We need state lawmakers to protect investments in WEIA by passing HB 1504 and to also increase funding for this program in the state budget so that more students can afford the benefits of higher education.

Once in college, first-generation college students, low-income students, and students of color struggle to stay enrolled, often citing the culture of the college as a key challenge. During a hearing for SB 5227, a bill to create antiracism training for students, faculty, and staff at public higher education institutions in Washington, a recent graduate of Western Washington University described their experience:

“I was never socialized on how to navigate white spaces so, when I got to Western, there was this huge emotional toll and psychological toll in addition to the tuition I was paying. Who do I go to for support? Do I go to professors who don’t really know how to help me?”

In addition to financial aid, many students need specialized support to be successful in postsecondary education. This year, there is legislation moving through the House and Senate to expand access to higher education for students of color (SB 5227), students experiencing homelessness or who had been in foster care  (HB 1166), and those seeking to further their education while incarcerated (HB 1044).

These bills would be a critical step in making college more accessible and affordable and they need a vote on the floor by March 9.

Tell your lawmakers to vote for legislation that increases financial aid and bolsters support services so that all students are supported in their college experience.