Overview of the Locke Case
Litigation Surrounding Washington's Promise Scholarship Program
In 1999, the Washington Legislature created the Promise Scholarship program, which offers scholarships to students graduating from a public or private high school located in the State. To receive the scholarship, a student must meet certain academic, income, and enrollment criteria. When a student enrolls at an eligible educational institution, the school confirms the student’s enrollment requirements. One of those enrollment requirements is that the student is not pursuing a degree in theology. The State bases this requirement on the Washington constitutional provision that states, "No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship,…
