SB 5978 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Establishing the Washington guaranteed admissions program and requiring student notifications.

SB 5978 establishes Washington's Guaranteed Admissions Program, requiring public four-year colleges to simplify admissions applications and set clear eligibility criteria starting in 2027-28. It mandates high schools to use a statewide digital system to securely share student transcripts with participating colleges for eligible 11th/12th graders, while allowing families to opt out of data sharing. The bill directly affects public universities (with optional participation), high schools, and students applying to college through this program. Key provisions include streamlined admissions forms, annual review of eligibility criteria, and free data transfer via the Washington School Information Processing Cooperative.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 5, 2026 Last action Jan 30, 2026

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What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to remove tribal institutions from the guaranteed admissions program and to streamline the process for determining eligibility criteria, shifting decision-making power from a collaborative council to the participating institutions themselves. Additionally, the data-sharing requirements were updated to prioritize a digital environment for cooperative members and to include a mandatory opt-out mechanism for students and families, while the timeline for data transfer was adjusted to a later start date.

Scope change

The program's scope was narrowed by removing tribal institutions of higher education from the list of participating entities.

SCOPE

Tribal institutions of higher education were removed from the list of institutions required to participate in the guaranteed admissions program.

REQUIREMENT

The process for setting eligibility criteria changed from a collaborative review by an organization of presidents and state councils to a process where participating institutions determine and annually review the criteria themselves.

A mandatory opt-out provision was added, requiring schools to allow students and families to opt out of data sharing for the guaranteed admissions program.

TIMELINE

The deadline for establishing data-sharing processes was moved from January 1, 2027, to July 1, 2027, and the start of data transfers was delayed from the 2027-28 school year to the 2028-29 school year.

TECHNICAL

Data sharing requirements were updated to specify the use of the statewide digital transcript environment for cooperative members and to ensure no additional fees are charged for this specific use.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to Ways & Means.

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Committee

And refer to Ways & Means.

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 1:30 PM.

upper

Jan 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development at 10:30 AM.

upper

1 primary · 5 co-sponsors