REACH HIGHER WASHINGTON
Reach Higher Washington strives to provide a space where state agencies, statewide organizations, college access networks, school districts,
postsecondary institutions and community-based organizations are able to build strategic alliances surrounding the state’s Reach Higher
commitments.
WASHINGTON STATE REACH HIGHER COMMITMENT UPDATE
COMMITMENTS
KEY STRATEGIC ALIGNMENTS
Commitment #1 Exposing students to college and career
College Bound Scholarship
◦◦ Continued funding of College Bound Scholarship-early college
commitments from income-eligible students
Mapping College Bound support services
◦◦ Coordinated collaborations with WSAC, OSPI, WCAN, and CSF
to map all college readiness support services in the state
Commitment #2 Understanding financial aid eligibility that can
FAFSA/WASFA support events
◦◦ Continued roll-out of the 12th year campaign via a statewide
group of representatives.
FAFSA Portal
◦◦ Launched FAFSA Completion Portal to enable districts to track
individual student level data on their FAFSA filing status
Commitment #3 Encouraging academic planning and summer
Early and consistent use of the high school and beyond plan
◦◦ Washington State continues to be proactive in increasing the
allocations to districts for school counseling staff in secondary
buildings to align with the work of changes in graduation
requirements for a career and college ready diploma.
opportunities by increasing the number of students in Washington
state who participate in college and career readiness activities.
make college affordability a reality by increasing Washington state
FAFSA/WASFA completion rates.
learning opportunities by increasing early adoption of the High
School and Beyond Plan in Washington state.
◦◦ A multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) has been promoted as
a way to effectively, efficiently and equitably respond to students
not progressing towards graduation when identified through an
early warning system.
The High School and Beyond Plan is a graduation requirement for
all students in WA State. The WA State Board of Education has
identified a high quality HSBP as starting in 8th grade, is revisited
each year along with transcript review, and involves parents.
Basic elements include identifying education goals, career goals
through a career interest assessment, and four-year plan, that
leads to a meaningful postsecondary plan.
Commitment #4 Supporting high school counselors who can help
more students get into college by expanding and enhancing
professional training on college and career readiness in Washington
state.
Implementation of a College and Career Readiness Training
Program
◦◦ College and Career Readiness (CCR) training program for
counselors and college access providers using SREB/Go Alliance
training modules
Creation and execution of a Professional Development Needs
Assessment Survey
◦◦ Professional Development Needs Assessment Survey
completed; CSF completed final report for CCR Advisory
Committee (high interest in CCR training and facilitation
opportunities, based on feedback from ~ 500 respondents)