Welcome to the Oregon Savings Network’s county information website. This website contains information about the college savings activity in every Oregon County. The Network was created to increase the ability of Oregonians to save for future higher education expenses through the Oregon College Savings Plan (OCSP). It is a unique investment tool that provides state and federal tax advantages and more flexibility than many other college savings vehicles. For more information, visit www.oregoncollegesavings.com.
Children with college savings accounts like the OCSP have greater college expectations:
Kids who know they have a college savings account (even a small one) are 2.5 times more likely to go and graduate from college.
In fact, low- to moderate-income children with under $500 saved for college are 3 times more likely to go to college and 4.5 times more likely to graduate.
Be College Ready wrap up for 2018-2019
Launched as a pilot program in five school districts during the 2015-16 school year, Be College Ready had the simple goal of helping young families learn the value of saving for higher education early in a child’s life using the OCSP. With results showing an increase in OCSP accounts among participating school districts and communities, we expanded Be College Ready to be a statewide program.
The Be College Ready program for the 2018-2019 school year began on August 13, 2018. The program was open to all public elementary schools, private elementary schools and homeschooled children of elementary school age across Oregon.
During the 2018-19 school year, 43 school districts participated in Be College Ready, with an increase in OCSP account openings of 8 percent over last year. Additionally, there was an increase in new account contributions of 9 percent, totaling more than $38 million in the participating districts alone. The Oregon College Savings Plan is making a tangible difference through outreach to families looking for a simple means to save and make college more affordable.
Be College Ready for 2019-2020
As we head into the 2019-2020 school year, Be College Ready will once again be a statewide school and community outreach program, but with some small adjustments compared to years past. In mid-August, every public elementary school will receive free Be College Ready kits for their kindergarten students that will include:
Fun school materials—bookmark, pencil and homework folder—and an Oregon College Savings Plan informational brochure (in English and Spanish); and
Parents of kindergarten students who do not already have accounts can also receive $25 from the Plan to open an account for their child as part of our new Kinder Grad program.
Schools will be able to order Be College Ready kits for the entire school population after receiving the kindergarten kits, with every elementary family once again having the chance to win $100 for an Oregon College Savings Plan account. Additionally, Oregon College Savings Plan outreach staff will be available to share information about the Plan at a PTA/PTO meeting and/or other school events to answer questions family members may have about the Plan.
Teachers and administrators can begin ordering their free 2019-2020 Be College Ready supplies for grades 1-5 on August 19, 2019 at www.becollegeready.net.
To see a map of elementary schools participating for grades 1-5, please visit https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pkVMBiV_HeB_b-Lg-vlfSZH-Wz9-0i2y&usp=sharing.
If you have any questions about the program please call 503-373-1903.