(1) The Washington career and college pathways innovation challenge program is established. The purpose of the program is to meet statewide educational attainment goals established in RCW 28B.77.020 by developing local and regional partnerships that foster innovations to:

(a) Increase postsecondary enrollment and completion for students enrolling directly from high school and adults returning to education; and

(b) Eliminate educational opportunity gaps for students of color, English language learners, students with disabilities, and foster and homeless youth.

(2)(a) The student achievement council shall administer the program and award grants, based on a competitive grant process, to local and regional partnerships that represent cross-sector collaborations among education and higher education agencies and institutions, local education agencies, local government, community-based organizations, employers, and other local entities. The student achievement council must consult, in both the design of the grant program as well as in the administration of the grant program, with stakeholders including representatives of:

(i) The state board for community and technical colleges;

(ii) An organization representing the presidents of the public four-year institutions of higher education;

(iii) The workforce training and education coordinating board;

(iv) An organization representing the private, not-for-profit, four-year institutions of higher education;

(v) The commission on African American affairs;

(vi) The commission on Hispanic affairs;

(vii) The commission on Asian Pacific American affairs;

(viii) The Washington state LGBTQ commission;

(ix) The governor's office of Indian affairs; and

(x) The Washington state women's commission.

(b) In awarding the grants, the student achievement council shall consider applications that:

(i) Plan and pilot innovative initiatives to raise educational attainment and decrease opportunity gaps;

(ii) Engage community-based organizations and resources;

(iii) Expand the use of integrated work-based learning;

(iv) Provide financial support to cover expenses beyond educational tuition and fees, and other services and supports for students to enroll and complete education and training; and

(v) Include local matching funds.

(c) In administering the program the student achievement council may hire staff to support grant oversight and provide technical assistance to grantees.

(d) The student achievement council may solicit and receive such gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the program and may expend the same or any income therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments.

(3) The student achievement council shall provide a report each year beginning September 1, 2022, to the governor and the education and higher education committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW 43.01.036. The report shall:

(a) Describe grants awarded;

(b) Report the progress of each local and regional partnership by reporting on high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and completion for each of the regions that partnerships serve; and

(c) Disaggregate data by income, race, ethnicity, and other demographic characteristics.