DQC Washington State Snapshot COB
The Data Quality Campaign’s 2025 Washington State Snapshot highlights how the state is using data-sharing agreements to make financial aid more accessible for students and families. Postsecondary affordability remains a major barrier to enrollment and completion, often due to misconceptions about cost and complex application processes. Washington’s strategy reduces paperwork and expands awareness by allowing families who qualify for public benefits, such as Basic Food (SNAP), to be automatically deemed income-eligible for the Washington College Grant.
This approach eliminates the need for families to report the same income information twice, streamlining access to aid for a wide range of postsecondary opportunities, including apprenticeships, career and technical education, and degree programs. Starting in 2026, school staff and financial aid advisors will be able to notify eligible families as early as 10th grade, giving students more time to plan their educational journeys and make informed course and career choices.
Washington’s model also demonstrates that implementation requires both data and outreach. The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) works with schools, colleges, and community partners to deliver anticipatory messaging and personalized support to families. By embedding outreach into trusted networks, the state ensures that students receive clear, actionable information from sources they recognize.
This report underscores the federal role in supporting and sustaining such efforts. Clearer guidance on permissible data sharing, especially related to SNAP and FAFSA, alongside funding for state data systems, would allow more states to adopt similar models. Washington’s work illustrates how intentional data use not only reduces administrative burdens but also empowers students with earlier, more reliable access to financial aid— opening doors to postsecondary and career opportunities.¹
¹ Data Quality Campaign. (2025, February 26). Washington state financial aid eligibility. Data Quality Campaign. https:// dataqualitycampaign.org/resource/washington-state-financial-aid-eligibility/
This Story from the Field is a supplement to the 2025 Project Unicorn State of the Sector Report which analyzes K-12 school system capabilities and infrastructure for leveraging education data. Read the full report.
