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Bill

SB 5618

Concerning transparency in college admissions.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Matt Boehnke

Requires public posting of admissions criteria, rubrics, GPA, and demographic data for general and major-specific admissions at Washington public colleges, boosting transparency.

First reading, referred to Higher Education & Workforce Development.
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Bill Summary · SB 5618

Summary of SB 5618 – Concerning transparency in college admissions

Overview

SB 5618 seeks to increase transparency in college admissions for public higher education institutions in Washington. Introduced January 31, 2025, the bill would require state universities, regional universities, the state college, and their separate campuses to publicly post specific admissions data and criteria on their websites. The measure targets both general college-level admissions and major/program-specific admissions.

What the bill does

  • Adds a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW establishing posting requirements for admissions information.
  • Requires conspicuous posting on each institution’s website of:
    • Scoring criteria used for admissions, including:
    • Rubrics for admissions scoring
    • Weights assigned to GPA, standardized tests, and course taking
    • Weights assigned to admissions components (e.g., academics, extracurriculars, personal essays, and other requirements)
    • Demographic characteristics of applicants and separately of those accepted, including:
    • Race/ethnicity, age, gender
    • Parental income and parental education level
    • Residency
    • Grade point average (GPA) of applicants and separately of those accepted
  • Requires conspicuous posting of the criteria and rubrics used to score a candidate for admission, including any criteria used in major-specific admissions.

Scope and entities affected

  • Institutions covered: State universities, regional universities, the state college, and each of their separate campuses within Washington.
  • The posting applies to both:
    • College- or university-level admissions
    • Major- or program-specific admissions

Data elements and posting details

  • Scoring criteria:
    • Rubrics for admissions scoring
    • Weights for GPA, standardized tests, and course taking
    • Weights for admissions components (academics, extracurriculars, personal essays, etc.)
  • Applicant data:
    • Demographic characteristics for applicants and for admitted students (separately)
    • Race/ethnicity, age, gender, parental income, parental education, residency
  • Academic data:
    • GPA for applicants and for admitted students
  • Major-specific criteria:
    • Any criteria used in major- or program-specific admissions, as well as the general scoring rubrics

Accessibility and posting standards

  • Information must be posted conspicuously on each institution’s official website.
  • Postings cover both general admissions and major-specific admissions criteria and data.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Status: First reading, referred to the Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development.
  • Introduced: January 31, 2025.
  • The text provided does not specify an effective date or implementation timeline beyond passage and enactment processes typical of Senate consideration.

Potential implications and considerations

  • Transparency gains:
    • Provides applicants and the public with clear insight into admission criteria and the data driving decisions.
    • Enables easier comparisons across institutions and programs.
  • Privacy and data concerns:
    • Demographic data includes sensitive information (race/ethnicity, parental income, etc.); posting would need to align with privacy and FERPA considerations.
  • Administrative burden:
    • Institutions would need to compile, verify, and regularly update posted criteria and data for both general and major-specific admissions.
  • Policy debates that could emerge:
    • Scrutiny of weighting schemes for admissions components
    • Assessment of equity and access implications based on the disclosed data

Bottom line

SB 5618 would mandate public posting of detailed admissions criteria, rubrics, and demographic and GPA data for both general and major-specific admissions at public higher education institutions in Washington. The goal is to enhance transparency in admissions processes and provide a basis for accountability and informed public discourse. The bill is in its first reading and awaiting committee consideration.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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