Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 341 § 341.522 — Oregon

Oregon Promise program; criteria; rules; report. (1) The Office of Student Access and Completion shall administer the Oregon Promise program as provided by this section. (2) Subject to subsections (7) to (10) of this section, the office shall provide a grant for community college courses to a person who meets the criteria described in subsections (3) to (6) of this section. The grant shall be limited as provided by subsections (7) to (10) 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) Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, 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, except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, in this state prior to: (A) Receiving a diploma under ORS 329.451; (B) Receiving a certificate for passing an approved high school equivalency test such as the General Educational Development (GED) test 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) Except as provided in subsections (4) and (5) of this section, 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 2.0 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) If a person otherwise meets the required criteria and has been awarded a grant under subsection (3) of this section, but the person enters into service with a career and technical student organization relating to agriculture or farming that is approved by the Department of Education under ORS 344.077 within six months after the person attained the person’s highest level of education as described in subsection (3)(c) of this section, the person will continue to be eligible to receive the grant if the person first enrolls in courses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section within six months of finishing the person’s service with the career and technical student organization. (b) In addition to the situation described in paragraph (a) of this subsection, the commission may waive the requirement set forth in subsection (3)(d) of this section for a person who shows that the person was unable to timely enroll in courses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section due to a significant hardship. The commission may adopt rules to implement this paragraph. (5)(a) A member of the Oregon National Guard who has completed initial active duty training is not required to comply with the criteria set forth in subsection (3)(d) of this section in order to receive a grant, provided that the member first enrolls in courses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section within six months after completing initial active duty training, as evidenced by an official form issued by the United States Department of Defense. (b)(A) A person who completes the highest level of education as described in subsection (3)(c) of this section while confined in a correctional facility, either serving a sentence of incarceration or as a young person, youth or adjudicated youth, is not required to comply with the criteria set forth in subsection (3)(d) of this section in order to receive a grant, provided that the person first enrolls in courses described in subsection (3)(a) of this section within six months after the date on which the person is first released from a correctional facility following completion of the highest level of education described in subsection (3)(c) of this section. (B) The eligibility requirement