Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

Oregon Revised Statutes Education and Culture § 341.522

Current as of January 01, 2023 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

<Text subject to final change by the Oregon Office of the Legislative Counsel.>

(1) The Office of Student Access and Completion shall administer the Oregon Promise program as provided by this section.

(2) Subject to subsections (5) and (6) of this section, the office shall provide a waiver of tuition for community college courses to a person who meets the criteria described in subsections (3) and (4) of this section. The waiver shall be a grant and limited as provided by subsections (5) and (6) of this section.

(3) A grant shall be awarded under this section to a person who meets the following criteria:

(a) Is enrolled in courses that are:

(A) Offered at a community college in this state; and

(B) Determined by the office, in accordance with rules adopted by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, to be required for completion of:

(i) A one-year curriculum for students who plan to transfer to another post-secondary institution of education;

(ii) An associate degree; or

(iii) A program in career and technical education;

(b) Has been a resident of this state for at least 12 months prior to enrolling in the courses described in paragraph (a) of this subsection;

(c) Attained the person's highest level of education in this state prior to:

(A) Receiving a diploma under ORS 329.451;

(B) Receiving a General Educational Development (GED) certificate as provided by ORS 350.175;

(C) Completing grade 12 in compliance with the requirements of ORS 339.035; or

(D) Completing grade 12 at a private or parochial school, as described in ORS 339.030 (1)(a);

(d) Attained the person's highest level of education as described in paragraph (c) of this subsection within six months from the date that the person first enrolls in courses described in paragraph (a) of this subsection for the purpose of receiving a grant under this section;

(e) Earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better in high school or otherwise demonstrated an equivalent academic ability, as determined by the office according to rules adopted by the commission;

(f) Completed and submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for each academic year and accepted all state and federal aid grants available to the person, if eligible to file the application; and

(g) Has not completed either of the following:

(A) More than a total of 90 credit hours, or the equivalent, at a post-secondary institution of education; or

(B) A curriculum, degree or program, as described in paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection.

(4)(a) A person continues to remain eligible to receive a grant under this section if the person, in addition to satisfying the criteria specified in subsection (3) of this section, meets the following criteria:

(A) Maintains at least the minimum cumulative grade point average prescribed by the commission based on federal aid grant requirements;

(B) Makes satisfactory academic progress toward a curriculum, degree or program, as described in subsection (3)(a)(B) of this section, as prescribed by the commission based on federal aid grant requirements;

(C) Enrolls in courses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section for a sufficient number of credit hours to be considered at least a half-time student each term for at least three terms in each consecutive academic year; and

(D) Completes a first-year experience, as identified by the community college and reported by the community college to the commission.

(b) A person who fails to meet an eligibility requirement described in paragraph (a) of this subsection becomes ineligible to receive a grant under this section for the term after which the person fails to meet the eligibility requirement, unless the eligibility requirement is waived by the office according to rules adopted by the commission.

(5)(a) The total amount of a grant awarded under this section shall be based on each term that a person is enrolled in courses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section. After the amount of tuition for the person for the term is reduced by $50, to be paid by the person, and reduced by any amounts received by the person in state and federal aid grants, the person shall be eligible for a grant under this section in an amount that equals:

(A) Except as provided by paragraph (b) of this subsection, not less than the greater of:

(i) $1,000; and

(ii) The person's actual cost for tuition.

(B) Not more than the lesser of:

(i) The average cost of tuition at a community college in this state, as determined by the office; and

(ii) The person's actual cost for tuition.

(b) The minimum amount of a grant, as calculated under paragraph (a) of this subsection, may be prorated for a person who is enrolled in courses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section for a sufficient number of credit hours to be considered at least a half-time student but not a full-time student.

(c) The commission may prescribe by rule whether to include fees, and any limitations related to the inclusion of fees, when determining the actual cost of tuition or the average cost of tuition under this subsection.

(6) The total amount in grants awarded under this section by the office may not exceed $10 million per fiscal year, or any lesser amount available to the office for the purpose of this section. The commission may adopt by rule the priority by which grants are awarded, which may allow for preference to be given to persons enrolled in school districts or high schools that meet specified criteria.

(7) The commission shall adopt any rules necessary for the administration of this section, including any requirements related to:

(a) Specifying the form and timelines for submitting an application for a grant under this section;

(b) Determining whether a person is eligible for a grant under this section, including whether the person shall be given priority as allowed under subsection (6) of this section;

(c) Implementing programs or policies that improve the academic success or completion rates for persons who receive a grant under this section;

(d) Prescribing eligibility requirements and grant calculations for persons dually enrolled in a community college and a public university; and

(e) Evaluating the impact of the program established under this section, including any requirements for reporting data needed for evaluations.

(8) No later than December 31 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit to an interim legislative committee related to education a report that summarizes the commission's findings on the impact of the program established under this section. The report shall include:

(a) Student completion rates of curricula, degrees and programs described in subsection (3)(a)(B) of this section;

(b) The amount of federal aid grants received by persons who received a grant under this section;

(c) The financial impact of the program on school districts that had students receive a grant under this section;

(d) The financial impact and the enrollment impact of the program on community colleges and public universities in this state; and

(e) The overall success rate of the program and financial impact of the program.

Previous Part of Code Next Part of Code
Back to Chapter List

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Oregon Revised Statutes Education and Culture § 341.522 - last updated January 01, 2023 | https://codes.findlaw.com/or/title-30-education-and-culture/or-rev-st-sect-341-522/

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About The Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to Find an Attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

Copied to clipboard