“Washington is ahead of the nation both in providing unprecedented access to the opportunity to get a degree, certificate or apprenticeship qualification, and in creating innovative programs to connect students with work experience,” Inslee said. “We are leading the nation with our financial aid program and we’re securing quality education in a bipartisan way.”

Here’s a breakdown of the two policies:

Washington College Grant

The grant guarantees financial aid to more than 110,000 qualified students to attend college for free or at a discounted rate. Students are eligible if they sit at or below the state’s median family income, which is a little under $92,000 for a family of four.

The program will be funded by businesses that will pay an additional surcharge on the current business and occupation tax that they already pay. This means that larger firms such as Amazon and Microsoft — companies that boast a high demand for an educated workforce — shouldering more of the financial burden.

“Unlike other free college programs in the nation, this program doesn’t come with lengthy fine print about who qualifies or doesn’t,” Inslee said. “We recognize that many students have to juggle a lot in life while they go to school, whether it’s a job, family obligations, health issues or more. The Washington College Grant provides the most flexibility of any state which is absolutely crucial for part-time students.”

(Office of Financial Management graphic)

The maximum award amount that students could get is equal to the value of full tuition and fees at public colleges and universities, according to the Washington Student Achievement Council and may be used for other higher education costs such as books and housing. The grants can serve students in registered apprenticeships and at any of the state’s private colleges and universities. The bill also aims to eliminate how many students are on the wait list for financial aid.

Rep. Drew Hansen, who sponsored the bill, said the grant removes a large financial obstacle for students.

“We just made public college and apprenticeships tuition-free for thousands of Washington families and reduced tuition for thousands more,” Hansen said. “We will see the benefits of these investments for decades, as more people can now get good jobs and support their families.”

Michael Meotti, executive director at WSAC, said Washington just set the national standard for making college more affordable for lower and middle-income families.