Wondering what all this talk of tuition-setting authority means in terms of the price tag on education?

Senate Committee Services released a report Monday that lays out possible future tuition rates under the maximum-limit provisions of SB 6562.

The measure seeks to grant University of Washington, Washington State University and Western Washington University the authority to set resident undergraduate tuition -- without approval from the Legislature -- for the academic years 2011-2012 through 2017-2018.

But there are limits. Annual tuition increases may not exceed the lesser of 14 percent in any one year or a compound annual average rate of 9 percent, calculated over the preceding 15 academic years.

This means that tuition at UW, which was $2,875 in the fall of 1996, could rise to as much as $14,920 by the time classes begin in 2017, according to the report. That is more than double the amount students paid this year -- $7,125 -- which was almost $1,000 more than they paid the previous year.

WSU could charge as much as $14,841 by the school year 2017-2018, and Western could charge $11,794.

Students from the three universities testified against tuition hikes at Monday's Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing.

Their main concern is that without financial-aid guarantees (like a promise from the Legislature to fund state need grants and the work-study program), the rising cost of school would make it a pipe dream for middle- and low-income families.

Although they were in disagreement on most matters, officials from the universities, who all testified in support of SB 6562, agreed that state dollars for financial aid would be crucial for students. Without it, they said, the bill's attempt to help schools would not succeed.

Testifying that the problem has not been fixed, only shifted to the students, Marcus Sweetser from the Washington Student Association told the committee that students have become "bargaining chips."

Families that plan ahead for college using Washington's Guaranteed Education Tuition program would also be affected.

According the Office of the State Actuary, "increased tuition growth means higher premiums and prices." GET units would become more expensive, resulting in "cash-constrained" purchasers being able to afford less.

The bill does try to provide some relief for middle- and lower-income families.

One requirement calls for universities to grant partial- to full-tuition waivers in a tiered system.

For example: The year is 2018 and tuition at UW is $14,920. If a family of four makes $47,500 a year, then all of their student's tuition would be waived. If another family of four makes about $95,000 (the estimated median family income) then they would receive 50 percent off tuition.

It appears one would need a college education just to understand the bill's mathematics.