Focused on Equitable Opportunity Statewide, HECC Analysis Informs Decisions During Legislative Session
Message from Executive Director Ben Cannon
The Legislative Session is a busy and fascinating time as we join conversations about the meeting the needs of Oregon students and workers. During each session, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) presents to legislative committees and advises the Oregon Legislature and the Governor on topics related to postsecondary education, in close collaboration with community and institutional partners. Simultaneously, the start of the calendar year is an important time for student and educators as key financial aid application deadlines come up in the spring. Please help us get the word out on scholarships and opportunities posted in this issue!
On Tuesday January 31, Governor Tina Kotek announced her recommended balanced budget for 2023-25 with a focus on addressing housing and homelessness, mental health and addiction, and Oregon schools. We are excited that her proposed budget for higher education includes continued funding of the newly launched Oregon Tribal Student Grant; a $100 million increase in the state's underfunded need-based financial aid program, the Oregon Opportunity Grant; authorization of the federal investments in Future Ready Oregon; and funding for regional university planning and support; among many other important priorities.
Even as we look ahead, I am also proud to celebrate several recent accomplishments. You can read in this issue about the annual Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG) report showing some of the consistently strong results the OOG has shown in student success among the low-income students who are able to receive this grant at current limited funding levels. You can learn more here about our recent awards of Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grants, exciting grant initiatives through OregonServes, increases in financial aid applications among Oregon high school seniors, and more. Thanks as always for your continued engagement.
The Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG) is Strongly Linked with Student Success
In its annual evaluation of the Oregon Opportunity Grant program, HECC researchers found that the program is consistently effective in supporting student success, but at current funding levels, many students are left out of sufficient support. Students who receive the OOG consistently do as well or better in public colleges and universities than their peers who come from similar backgrounds with only slightly higher incomes.
The Oregon Opportunity Grant is Oregon’s largest state-funded, need-based grant program to help students enroll and stay in college; the grant is awarded to more than 30,000 students at community colleges, public universities, and 13 eligible private independent institutions. In 2020-21 the annual grant awarded to private and public university students was $3,600 and to community college students was $2,778.
The analysis finds that students who receive the OOG are more often from underrepresented and underserved groups: students of color, women, rural, and especially first-generation-college students. Consistent with the last such report, the 2020-21 analysis shows that OOG recipients at public institutions continue to be more likely to earn a certificate or degree than other low-income students.
Despite the positive impact on these students, the OOG is often not enough. Students who receive the OOG still face significant affordability challenges; nearly three-fourths of OOG recipients at the public universities and more than half at the community colleges still cannot cover the full expected cost of attendance, even with the expected resources of the OOG and other state and federal aid, most institutional aid, family contributions, and student earnings. In 2015, legislative changes refocused the priority for these limited funds to go to students with the most financial need. Due to limited funding, many low-income students still do not receive the grants. Read more about grant impacts in the report below.
Legislative Update: January 2023
We encourage our partners to stay updated on our recent presentations and testimony on our Legislative Resources 2023 web page here. The HECC commenced our participation in the Legislative Session with two high-level overviews to the higher education workforce system, presented January 17 to the House Committee on Higher Education and previously to the Senate Committee on Education, by Executive Director Ben Cannon. These presentations focused on our strategic priorities and state goals for educational attainment and equity, concerning racial disparities in educational outcomes, the governance and leadership structure in the system, and more.
On January 26, Executive Director Cannon and Director of Research and Data Amy Cox presented to the House Higher Education committee on data related to college preparedness, a presentation that was reported on by Oregon Public Broadcasting here.
On January 25, Jennifer Purcell, director of Future Ready Oregon for the HECC, presented on the status of this historic investment to the Joint Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Education, a presentation made in partnership with several Future Ready Oregon partners. We look forward to presenting again to this subcommittee this session on the Governor's recommendations for the state's comprehensive higher education and workforce training budget. Director Purcell also presented on Future Ready Oregon to the House Higher Education Committee on January 31.
The HECC has also submitted testimony to legislative committees related to SB 217 focused on cosmetology curricula, SB271 related to school district boundaries, SB 424 banning transcript withholding for students with institutional debts, HB 2780 establishing a ‘pay it forward’ model of higher education finance, and HB 2615 related to the Oregon Promise for veterans.
In addition to presentations HECC has led, several key partners have given informational presentations to the House Committee on Higher Education that may be of interest to our audiences. Go to the agenda and materials for the date noted for details: public universities, February 2; open education resources, January 31; SNAP Access for Students, January 26; the state audit on community colleges, January 24; benefit navigators, transitions to higher education, January 19; Joint Task Force On Student Success for Underrepresented Students in Higher Education, January 17.
Progress in Financial Aid Application Rates for High School Seniors
The HECC Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) recently published a new report on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) completion rates between June 2022 and November 2022 by most Oregon public high school seniors. The reports include statewide data as well as completion rates by school, district, county, and Educational Service District.
Results indicated that statewide completion rates of both the FAFSA and the ORSAA increased by 3 percent from June to November, 2022. The statewide FAFSA/ORSAA completion rate as of November 1st, 2022 was 45.5 percent. Information in this report includes data separated by high school and district and also includes a list of top performing schools in the state. The report can be found here.
Schools that need support with FAFSA/ORSAA completion are encouraged to check out the following financial aid completion resources:
Early Bird Deadline Approaches for the OSAC Scholarship Application
The OSAC Scholarship deadline is quickly approaching! Check out our website for more information: www.OregonStudentAid.Gov. Students who submit an error-free OSAC Scholarship Application by February 15, 2023 at 5pm PST will be entered into a drawing for one of ten $1,000 Early Bird scholarships. The final deadline is March 1, 2023 at 5pm PST. The OSAC Scholarship Application provides Oregon students one easy application to apply for multiple scholarships at one time. Students can explore over 600 scholarships. If you need help, OSAC is hosting several upcoming webinars and drop-in sessions.
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Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grants Expand Community Partnerships and Innovative Solutions
The HECC has awarded $10 million in grants supporting 42 projects that prioritize underserved and marginalized communities
The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) announced in a recent press release that it has awarded $10 million in the first round of Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grants to 42 projects focused on encouraging innovation and removing barriers to job training and education for historically underserved and marginalized populations. The Workforce Ready Round One: Capacity Building grants successfully expand the state’s network of workforce partnerships with community-based and culturally specific organizations and workforce service providers.
Registration Open for 2023-2024 AmeriCorps Formula Grant Information Sessions, February 14 and 16
The OregonServes State Commission (OSC) is hosting two information sessions on February 14 and 16 for organizations interested in applying for the 2023-24 AmeriCorps Formula Funding Grant Opportunity to operate an AmeriCorps State program in Oregon. The Request for Applications (RFA) for these funds is coming soon, and the applications will be due Friday, April 7, 2023, by 11:59PM PST. Potential applicants are encouraged but not required to attend the webinar, and can register here.
- New Applicants – Tuesday, February 14, 2pm-3pm
- Continuing and Recompete Applicants – Thursday, February 16, 11am-12pm
All applicants must submit a Notice of Intent to Apply to OSC by March 3, 2023, by 11:59 pm PST, by completing the form here. For a preview of the RFA focus, please review the federal 2023-24 AmierCorps Notice of Funding Opportunity on which the Oregon RFA will be based. For more information, contact oregon.serves@hecc.oregon.gov.
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