"Did our kid sign up for College Bound?" This question has been circulating among parents of middle school students in Washington State for a while. You may have heard that if you don't sign before June 30 of 8th grade, the opportunity will be lost.

However, this information is somewhat outdated according to current public school standards. I was surprised to read the official materials myself.

According to the 2025-26 FAQ from the state student financial aid agency WSAC, there is no separate public application for public school students. If eligible, there is automatic enrollment.

The state law amendment made in 2025 states that students and families will be registered without having to do anything. The name has also changed; WSAC now refers to it as the College Bound program instead of Scholarship.

So, can you just sit back and relax? Here lies the catch. The prerequisite for automatic enrollment is meeting the income criteria for free or reduced-price lunch, and WSAC has stated that you need to fill out the CNEEB form provided by the school.

CNEEB stands for Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit. It is a form that combines the application for lunch assistance and a family income survey.

Seattle has a somewhat special situation here. Seattle Public Schools announced on September 3, 2026, that all students will receive one free meal for breakfast and one for lunch, regardless of income.

I fully support using tax dollars for this. Children shouldn't have to worry about the cost of their meals.

The problem is, if meals are free, who will bother to fill out the income documentation?

In reality, the school district only recommends filling it out, but it is not mandatory, and there is an option to Decline Benefits. There is no mention of College Bound in that announcement.

I couldn't find any materials specifying how students who pass without the documentation will be handled. Therefore, if your income is close to the threshold, it seems safer to fill out the form rather than selecting Decline.

According to WSAC's 2026-27 USDA guidelines, the income limit for a family of four is $61,050, and for a family of three, it is $50,542.

Imagine a household like this. They might have just taken over a store or recently immigrated, resulting in unusually low income this year.

If a child is in 7th or 8th grade, the situation changes. According to state law, if they qualify once during that time, they remain eligible even if they lose lunch eligibility later.

Income assessments occur again when applying for college. The income listed on FAFSA or WASFA must be at or below 65% of the state median income, which for a family of four is $90,500 for 2026-27 and $95,500 for 2027-28.

Comparing the numbers from the same year, the threshold for college is much higher than for middle school. This means that even if income increases later, there is still a chance of remaining eligible. However, assessments are done annually, so there may be years when you do not qualify.

The maximum annual amount combined with WA Grant for 2026-27 is $13,703 for UW, $13,200 for WSU, and $5,595 for public community colleges.

Since other state support like WA Grant is applied first, the College Bound item may not appear on the award letter.

The usage period is six years or until the first bachelor's degree, and in principle, it does not need to be repaid. However, if academic standards are not met or if courses are withdrawn late, repayment may be required.

If you are considering private colleges, take note of this. According to the revised state law, starting from the 2027-28 academic year, the College Bound amount for private nonprofit four-year colleges will be reduced to 50% of the average for public research universities.

To go directly to a four-year college, you must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in high school. There are no GPA requirements for community colleges or technical schools.

You must not have a felony record. Starting from 12th grade, you must submit FAFSA or WASFA every year. You must enroll in college within one year of graduation, and you can use it at over 60 participating schools in the state.

If you are worried about your immigration status, WSAC has stated that undocumented students may qualify if they meet residency requirements and recommends using WASFA instead of FAFSA.

Students in private schools and homeschooling are not automatically enrolled. Parents must call 888-535-0747, option 1, to start the application and return the signed form they receive.

Signing is not completely gone. The 2024 administrative rules state that the first application deadline is June 30 of 8th grade, and for students who qualify in 9th grade, it is June 30 of 9th grade. Check the date for this year by calling.

So, parents have two tasks. First, submit the CNEEB form either through MySchoolApps or on paper at the school office.

It's unfortunate that Korean is not listed among the translation languages in the district's guidance. If English is a burden, seek help from the school office.

Next, ask the counselor, "Is my child on the College Bound list?" The counselor can check this directly in the dedicated portal.

Not receiving the guidance letter does not disqualify you, and receiving it does not guarantee funding. WSAC itself states that funds are not guaranteed, and the 2026-27 materials are still being updated, so check the details at [email protected].

If I were in a household close to the income threshold, I would submit the documentation without hesitation. The effort of one piece of paper compared to several years of tuition is a clear choice. Good programs are only utilized by those who know about them, so please share this with your neighbors.