Protecting higher education in Washington is vital for families | Opinion

Every year, we meet students who are doing everything right — working long hours, caring for family members, serving their communities — and still stretching every dollar to stay in school.

We meet veterans retraining for civilian careers, first-generation students navigating college without a roadmap, parents attending night classes after putting their kids to bed. Apprentices building skills our state’s economy urgently needs. Their stories are different, but their goal is the same: a fair shot at a stable future, a living wage and the American dream.

Whether that door stays open is a policy choice.

As chairs of the Legislature’s higher education committees, we see clearly what colleges, universities and workforce training programs mean for Washington. They are not optional line items in a budget. They are one of the most reliable engines of economic mobility we have. They connect people to living-wage jobs, help businesses find skilled workers and strengthen communities across our state.

But right now, that engine is under strain.

Students and families are facing higher costs in nearly every part of daily life: housing, food, transportation, child care. At the same time, proposed funding reductions threaten financial aid, workforce training capacity and the campus supports that help students stay enrolled and finish what they start. Federal instability around health care, housing and food assistance adds even more uncertainty for many students.

When support systems weaken, the results are predictable. Students pause their education. Many never return. People remain stuck in minimum wage jobs. Employers can’t find skilled workers to help their businesses grow. Talent is lost. Opportunity narrows.

Washington has spent years building one of the strongest college affordability frameworks in the country, and it has made a real difference. Since 2017, the Legislature has committed to keeping college affordable for students and families by capping tuition increases at 3.3% each year. That commitment gives families predictability and keeps public college within reach for more Washingtonians.

We should keep that promise, especially now.

Affordability is not only about tuition. It is about whether financial aid keeps pace with need. Whether workforce programs have enough training slots. Whether campuses can offer advising, mental health care and basic-needs support. These are the practical tools that turn enrollment into completion.

That’s why the Washington State Legislative Higher Education Caucus has put forward a focused set of priorities: protect and restore financial aid, prevent further cuts to higher education programs and student supports, and preserve dedicated workforce education funding for its intended purpose — expanding opportunity and meeting employer demand.

This is not about protecting institutions. It is about protecting students and the future workforce of our state.

The return on these investments is measurable and long-lasting. Graduates earn more and are more likely to stay employed. Employers gain trained workers. Communities see greater economic stability. Over time, the state benefits from higher tax revenues and lower demand for emergency services. Few public investments pay back more consistently than education and training.

But budget decisions are not made in a vacuum. They are shaped by what lawmakers hear from the people they represent.

If you believe higher education and workforce training should remain affordable and accessible in Washington, now is the time to speak up. Contact your state senator and representatives. Tell them to support the Higher Education Caucus priorities. Tell them to protect financial aid, hold the line on tuition and defend the programs that help students succeed.

For many students, the margin between staying enrolled and dropping out is thin. The choices we make this year will decide which side of that line they land on.

Opportunity should stay within reach. With your voice, it can.

Sen. T’wina Nobles, D-Fircrest, represents the 28th Legislative District and serves as chair of the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, represents the 10th Legislative District and serves as chair of the House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee.