(1) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission may establish Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone (ASPIRE) to provide information about financial aid, education, training and career pathway options beyond high school to students in Oregon schools and colleges. The goals of the programs are to:

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(a) Provide mentoring and resources to help students access education and training beyond high school;

(b) Help Oregon schools build a sustainable community of volunteer mentors;

(c) Educate students and families about the scholarship application process and other options for paying for post-secondary education; and

(d) Encourage the completion of a college or career pathway.

(2) The programs shall bring together students, school staff, community volunteers and parents to help students overcome obstacles to their continuing education. The programs may provide training, technical assistance and other resources to Oregon middle schools, high schools and colleges on how to establish a volunteer-based program. Adult volunteers who are trained through the program may provide mentoring, training and encouragement to students about post-secondary options and financial aid.

(3) Each year, the programs shall provide financial aid instruction to middle school, high school and college students and make the instruction available to the students’ families. The instruction should focus on areas of academic interest or career opportunities identified as particularly relevant to the students and provide information on apprenticeships or technical and occupational career pathways, with a focus on local apprenticeships or local technical and occupational career pathways.

(4) The financial aid instruction required under subsection (3) of this section must outline:

(a) The different types of student loans that are available to students attending post-secondary institutions of education;

(b) The potential use of individual development accounts established under ORS § 458.675 to 458.700 to pay for post-secondary education; and

(c) The short-term and long-term economic impacts of each type of student loan or individual development account.

(5)(a) The programs shall work directly with community-based organizations and other entities with experience serving historically underserved communities in order to provide these communities with information and resources designed to encourage college and career readiness and to increase the participation of students from these communities in college and career training.

(b) The programs may provide grants or other support to organizations and entities described in paragraph (a) of this subsection for the purpose of delivering culturally competent, multilingual programming and training opportunities. [2007 c.293 § 2; 2011 c.637 § 169; 2013 c.747 § 112; 2015 c.253 § 1; 2017 c.66 § 6; 2023 c.557 § 6]

HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING COMMISSION AND OFFICE OF STUDENT ACCESS AND COMPLETION

(Administration)