Every eligible student should be guaranteed the right to an education. It is the principle of democracy and the beginning of a more prosperous country and economy.
One available means of an affordable education in Oregon is the Oregon Opportunity Grant, which gives low-income students access to post-secondary education. It gives students the money they need to be able to afford some aspects of college, including tuition, food and school books.
Today, thousands of students statewide do not receive the grant due to the lack of money funding it. In addition, the grant only covers 11 percent of the cost of education. It is time for this to change. We have the ability to tell our state legislators to fully fund the Oregon Opportunity Grant and make it available to all eligible students.
This grant can make a difference in whether a student goes to college or gets a dead-end job after graduating (or not graduating) from high school.
As students continually experience budget cuts, declining services and higher-than-ever tuition, the Oregon Opportunity Grant becomes the difference between staying in school and dropping out. Therefore, Oregon needs to prioritize access to a higher education with a simple start: fully fund the Oregon Opportunity Grant.
Jared Axelrod
Freshman