Tag Archives: education

Boehnke’s college-access legislation headed to governor

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… On April 10, the state House of Representatives approved legislation from Sen. Matt Boehnke that is intended to make college or a technical school more accessible for Washington students. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for further consideration.

Senate Bill 5543 would extend eligibility for College Bound scholarships to students with a high school-equivalency certificate. Currently, only students with a high-school diploma are eligible.

Boehnke, R-Kennewick, who serves on the Senate Higher Education Committee, issued this statement about his legislation:

“This bill is about opportunity and fairness. By expanding College Bound Scholarship eligibility to students with a high school-equivalency certificate, we recognize that not all students follow the same path, which shouldn’t limit their future. Every student willing to work to pursue higher education deserves the chance to access the financial support that makes it possible.”

“Many students who earn an equivalency certificate have overcome significant personal, academic, or economic obstacles. Senate Bill 5443 would ensure those students aren’t left behind simply because they didn’t earn a traditional diploma. By opening the door to financial aid, we’re helping them take the next step toward a brighter future and a better career.”

“Supporting non-traditional learners is just good policy. When we make college more accessible for all students, no matter how they completed high school, we invest in a stronger, more skilled workforce. This bill would promote educational equity, strengthen our economy, and help close opportunity gaps across Washington.”

The 105-day legislative session began Jan. 13 and is scheduled to conclude on April 27.

Boehnke denounces education bill, calls it ‘a Trojan Horse of state overreach’

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/CREDIT: Washington State Legislature

OLYMPIA… Friday, Sen. Matt Boehnke voiced strong opposition to the Senate majority’s approval of House Bill 1296, calling the legislation “a direct assault on parental authority and local control in education.”

The bill would significantly expand the power of the state’s superintendent of public instruction to investigate and penalize school districts for perceived noncompliance with specific state laws. Like Senate Bill 5181, passed by the Senate majority in early February, it also would strip away key provisions supported by voters and legislators through 2024’s passage of Initiative 2081, to protect parents’ rights in public education.

Boehnke, R-Kennewick, issued this statement following the Senate vote:

“This legislation is a Trojan horse. It’s marketed as a student-safety bill but would gut vital protections for parents, shifts decision-making from local communities to unelected bureaucrats, and opens the door for overreach by the state in ways that voters never intended.

“This bill goes directly against the will of the voters who supported parental notification and oversight. It’s also inconsistent, to put it nicely, for our Democratic colleagues to make any amount of education funding contingent on compliance with state law. What if that compliance puts a school district at odds with federal education policy? This bill isn’t just misleading – it borders on bullying.

“This legislation creates a climate of fear and top-down control. We should be empowering families and communities, not threatening teachers and school boards into silence.”

“Our public education system must be a partnership between families, educators, and local communities. ESHB 1296 breaks that partnership. It is government overreach, plain and simple.”

The 2025 legislative session is scheduled to adjourn Sunday, April 27.

Senate passes two Boehnke bills creating more financial opportunities for students

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick and Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Today brought the deadline for the state Senate to pass legislation across to the House of Representatives, and the list of bills heading to the Legislature’s other chamber includes two of Sen. Matt Boehnke’s pro-education bills.

Senate Bill 5542 and Senate Bill 5543, both of which passed unanimously, would create more financial opportunities for students in Washington to attend college or a technical school.

SB 5542 would eliminate the requirement that a student be 19 years of age or older to be eligible for a high school completion program tuition and fee waiver.

“This is a transformative education bill,” said Boehnke, R-Kennewick. “While it may not solve every challenge, it will significantly reduce barriers for individuals over 19 seeking financial resources for community or technical college. By expanding access, we can increase enrollment and graduation rates, ultimately delivering more skilled workers to our local workforce.”

SB 5543 would extend eligibility for College Bound Scholarships to students who have received a high school-equivalency certificate. Currently, only students with a high-school diploma are eligible.

“Many college-bound kids before the pandemic did not get their high school diploma, for one reason or another, and went on to get an equivalency certificate. This bill opens up more financial resources for these kids and their families and brings a sense of pride. We want to inspire the future for all our kids, and this bill does that.”

Both measures have bipartisan sponsorship and were introduced in cooperation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Boehnke’s bills have been referred to the House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee.

LISTEN | AUDIO

Boehnke bills aimed at improving access to education move forward

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Two of Sen. Matt Boehnke’s pro-education bills have cleared the first deadline for legislation to move forward from policy committees in the Senate.

“Both of these bills will allow our higher-education system to accommodate more students to be successful as they move beyond the K-12 level,” Boehnke said. “They will remove barriers for these students to access the top-quality higher education our institutions offer.”

Senate Bill 5542 is about accommodating more enrollment in high-school completion programs at community and technical colleges. The bill, passed by the Senate’s higher-education committee, would expand tuition waivers for high school completers at community and technical colleges by removing the requirement that students be 19 years of age or older to qualify. The Senate Rules Committee now will decide if SB 5422 is eligible for a vote by the full Senate.

The second bill, Senate Bill 5543, would extend eligibility for College Bound Scholarships to students who have received a high school-equivalency certificate. Following its passage by the Senate education committee, the bill is now being considered by the Senate Ways and Means Committee because it would require a budget appropriation.

“These bills will bring a new level of fairness and equity for students across Washington to continue their education journey,” said Boehnke. “We know that more opportunities for students will lead to more success in their adult lives. Earning a degree or taking college-level classes will lead to a more educated workforce.”

Both measures have bipartisan sponsorship and were introduced in cooperation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

“Not every student learns the same way, and a lot of kids find success in different types of learning environments. Smaller classes, a more fluid learning pace, and online access work really well for some students, and these bills will give kids better access to more scholarships and financial resources to be successful as adults.”

The next deadlines for action on legislation are this Friday, the “cutoff” for bills with financial implications to be moved out of fiscal committees, and March 12, the “house of origin” cutoff, meaning bills must be passed in their originating chamber to remain active.

Two of Boehnke’s higher-ed bills move forward from committee

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Legislation from Sen. Matt Boehnke aimed at improving access to education was endorsed today by the state Senate’s higher-education committee.

Committee members, who include Boehnke, supported two of his bills. One is Senate Bill 5542, to accommodate more enrollment in high-school completion programs at community and technical colleges; the second is Senate Bill 5543, which would expand eligibility for College Bound scholarships.

“While we need to be thoughtful from a budget standpoint about how and when the eligibility for financial assistance is expanded, I am also interested in removing barriers to education,” said Boehnke, R-Kennewick. “By offering a new level of fairness and equity, these bills would also offer new opportunities to prospective students across our state, particularly in the 8th District.”

Both of Boehnke’s measures have bipartisan sponsorship and were introduced in cooperation with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Their next stop is the Senate Ways and Means and Rules Committees, both of which Boehnke also serves.

SB 5543 would add those who receive a high-school equivalency certificate to the eligibility list for College Bound scholarships.

“Not every student learns the same way and a lot of kids find success in different types of learning environments. Smaller classes, a more fluid learning pace, and online access work really well for some students,” Boehnke explained. “This bill gives these kids better access to more scholarships to continue their learning journey.”

SB 5542 would eliminate the requirement that a student be 19 years of age or older to be eligible for a High School Completion Program tuition and fee waiver.

Boehnke has two other bills before the higher-ed committee. SB 5618 would create more transparency by requiring colleges and universities to post admissions information and data.

Senate Bill 5619 would establish minimum enrollment thresholds for in-state students so that Washington residents face less competition from out-of-state applicants for enrollment slots at the state’s public universities. The bill would require state and regional colleges and universities to have Washington residents comprise 75% of their fall first-year student enrollment.

“I’d like to encourage constituents to reach out the committee chairs and voice their support for these bills,” Boehnke said.

June Robinson is the chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee and can be reached at (360) 786=7674 or email at June.Robinson@leg.wa.gov. Lt. Governor Denny Heck is the chair of the Senate Rules Committee and can be reached at (360) 786-7000 or email at ltgov@ltgov.wa.gov.

The Senate’s policy committees, including the higher-education committee, have a Feb. 21 deadline for taking action on bills; only legislation related to the budget may remain under consideration through the April 27 end of the session.