Creates the Opportunity Scholarship Board to oversee the implementation of a program to expand current programs to help mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demands for a knowledge-based economy while filling middle-income jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers. This act creates specific objectives and goals for the Board and provides funding into a non-appropriated account to begin no later than December 1, 2011. This act modifies language in current law from “state need grant” to “opportunity award.” This act will be known as the Opportunity Scholarship Act and takes effect immediately.   Official Text and Analysis.

To offer a striking amendment that creates the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the Opportunity Expansion Program to mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demand fields of study while filling middle-income jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers and creates the Opportunity Scholarship Board to identify eligible education and training programs for purposes of the opportunity scholarship, select institutions of higher education to receive opportunity expansion awards, and make recommendations with respect to funding sources for opportunity expansion awards.

To provide that the Opportunity Scholarship Board's oversight and guidance must be consistent with legislative priorities. Makes changes to ensure that references are consistent and refer to "eligible education programs". Clarifies a reference to the state need grant in light of an earlier amendment that struck provisions that would have renamed the state need grant the opportunity award program. Makes clear that all annual reports from the Opportunity Scholarship Board and the program administrator are due no later than December 1st.

Creates the Opportunity Scholarship Program and the Opportunity Expansion Program to mitigate the impact of tuition increases, increase the number of baccalaureate degrees in high employer demand and other programs, and invest in programs and students to meet market demand fields of study while filling middle-income jobs with a sufficient supply of skilled workers.

To provide that all members of the Opportunity Scholarship Board will be appointed by the Governor; however, for two of the appointments the Governor will consider names from a list provided by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

To modify the state match requirement so that $850,000 each fiscal year is directed to the Washington Award for Vocational Excellence and Washington Scholars program, unless a similar amount from other state general funds is provided for new awards. In the event that the $850,000 in each fiscal year is insufficient to fully fund all new awards, the new awards shall be reduced proportionally in a manner that reflects the cost differential between the two award programs.

To remove language regarding appointments made by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate in light of an earlier amendment which provided that all appointments would be made by the Governor and provides that private contributions may be designated to either of the two Opportunity Scholarship accounts (scholarship or endowment) or to the College Bound Scholarship program and that state match moneys follow the private contributions, among other things.