With a growing state deficit, now estimated to be $5.2 billion in the 2011-2013 biennium, there are no good options and very painful choices will be made. In these difficult economic times every area of the budget will be cut. Many student aid programs have been suspended or significantly reduced so that the Governor and the legislature could focus priority funding on the primary student aid program for State Need Grant. Independent Colleges of Washington has supported those decisions.
But the recently introduced House budget goes too far. While the budget increases the maximum grant for State Need Grant for students at public colleges, it cuts the grant by 30% from current policy for students attending private non-profit colleges.
In addition, the bill suspends the State Work Study program. In addition to cutting opportunity and work experience for students, the elimination of work study funding will dramatically impact non-profit organizations and businesses across the state who rely on college students to help them carry out their mission.
We’ve written about budget considerations here and here.
Helping Washington residents attend an independent college is the state’s least expensive way to provide opportunity. We are concerned that students and families will reconsider college if they see a 30% drop in their grant from current policy. We need all the educated citizens in our state we can possibly prepare.
These cuts break the trust with students and shifts the longstanding policy of empowering student to choose the college that fits them best. It will add pressure to the public colleges, meaning even fewer Washington residents will attend college, or attend college in state.
The Senate is poised to introduce its bill, and we hope it will restore funding for Washington residents attending private non-profit colleges.
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