[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-584117-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-584117-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","washington-state-is-using-data-to-better-inform-families-of-financial-aid-eligibility-july-2025","Washington State Is Using Data to Better Inform Families of Financial Aid Eligibility - July 2025","","Washington State uses interagency data-sharing agreements to streamline financial aid eligibility for students and families. The approach removes duplicative income reporting by leveraging existing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) status eligibility. It also strengthens outreach by addressing misconceptions about college and career training affordability, supported by legislation guaranteeing Basic Food-eligible students income eligibility for the Washington College Grant as early as 10th grade. Starting January 2026, schools can reach families earlier and provide timely guidance before key course decisions.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & 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Grant.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What outreach improvements are planned starting in January 2026?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"High school staff and dedicated financial aid staff will be able to reach likely-eligible families earlier, with messaging intended to inform students of the financial aid guarantee by 10th grade.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},584117,1793130824,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & 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Inform Families of Financial Aid Eligibility  \nJULY 2025  \nu  \nThe affordability of postsecondary education and training programs—including two-and four-year degree programs, career and technical education (CTE), and apprenticeships—affects efforts across the nation to help more students achieve their goals after high school. Improved postsecondary access, completion, and return on investment is a goal of many state leaders, educational institutions, and economic and education advocacy groups—but accessing financial aid is persistently a barrier for students and families.  \nWashington is addressing this challenge by using interagency data through carefully constructed data-sharing agreements to remove the need for families who already receive assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to report their income twice just to verify that they are income eligible for state financial aid. Washington’s approach provides insights that other states can use to develop their own data-sharing agreementsand better serve students and their families.  \nUsing Data to Change Students’ Perceptions of College and Career  \nTraining Affordability  \nEven before high school, students and their families often have misconceptions about the costs of college or career training programs and may lack information about what financial aid is and the amount for which they might be eligible. These misconceptions can lead to an impression that college and career training programs are prohibitively expensive and out of reach. Knowing this situation, the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) is intentionally trying to reach individuals early in their high school journeys to begin raising awareness about financial aid programs and other resources that can support students’ journeys after high school. Part of WSAC’s efforts involves implementing recently passed legislation. This legislation guarantees that students who participate in certain public benefit programs, including Basic Food (Washington’s implementation of SNAP), are income eligible as early as 10th grade for the state’s Washington College Grant program, which provides financial aid for a range of postsecondary options, including apprenticeships, CTE, and two-and four-year degree programs.  \nFinancial aid applications for postsecondary programs use questions about a student’s or family’s financial situation to determine eligibility. Yet many families have already provided this information in their applications for other public assistance programs, such as SNAP.  \nRather than making these families fill out more paperwork with the same information to prove their eligibility, Washington’s approach uses “status eligibility.” With status eligibility, if a family has already qualified for a program, the state can use existing data to prove the family’s financial status without collecting that same data again.  \nNow, anyone in Washington who is eligible for Basic Food and other select state public benefit programs is guaranteed to be income eligible for financial aid through the Washington College Grant.  \nBefore state leaders adopted the new legislation, Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services was already communicating about financial aid to families receiving Basic Food assistance—but its efforts were limited  \nto awareness-building. Allowing Washington agencies to leverage existing data in this manner enables the state to improve financial aid outreach in significant ways:  \n• Starting in January 2026, high school staff members and dedicated financial aid staff will be able to reach families with students who will likely be eligible for the Washington College Grant much earlier in their students’ educational journey. Because many students start making decisions that affect their posthigh school journey much earlier than in 12th grade, Washington aims to inform students of their financial aid guarantee by 10th grade. ","cbCaiqspwsON79zB","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqspwsON79zB","pdf",155918,"English","# Washington State uses interagency data to improve eligibility communication\n## Training affordability and early awareness\n## Status eligibility instead of duplicate paperwork\n## Lessons for other states: data plus outreach\n## Leveraging education institutions as partners\n## How federal support can help","[{\"question\":\"How does Washington reduce duplicate income reporting for financial aid eligibility?\",\"answer\":\"Washington uses interagency data-sharing agreements and status eligibility, allowing it to prove a family’s financial status using existing records rather than collecting the same income information again.\"},{\"question\":\"What legislation changes eligibility timing for the Washington College Grant?\",\"answer\":\"The legislation guarantees that students in certain public benefit programs, including Basic Food, are income eligible as early as 10th grade for the Washington College Grant.\"},{\"question\":\"What outreach improvements are planned starting in January 2026?\",\"answer\":\"High school staff and dedicated financial aid staff will be able to reach likely-eligible families earlier, with messaging intended to inform students of the financial aid guarantee by 10th grade.\"}]","Washington State Is Using Data to Better Inform Families of Financial Aid Eligibility - July 2025 | PDF",1792049868]