(a) Assist eligible children with comprehensive services, including educational, social, health and nutritional development, to enhance their chances for success in school and life;
(b) Provide scholarships awarded to current and prospective early childhood care and education professionals, as described in ORS 329.181; and
(c) Provide grants to institutions of higher education to develop high-quality degree programs for early childhood care and education professionals, as described in ORS 329.181.
(2) For the purposes identified in subsection (1) of this section, the trust fund is continuously appropriated to the Early Learning Division.
(3) The division may solicit and accept money in the form of gifts, contributions and grants to be deposited in the trust fund. Except as provided in ORS 329.185, the acceptance of federal grants for purposes of ORS 329.170 to 329.200 does not commit state funds nor place an obligation upon the Legislative Assembly to continue the purposes for which the federal funds are made available.
(4) The trust fund may be included, if otherwise qualified, on a schedule of the Oregon individual income tax return for checkoff pursuant to application made to the Oregon Charitable Checkoff Commission under ORS 305.690 to 305.753 by the division. [1995 c.636 §4; 2001 c.831 §17; 2007 c.858 §12; 2013 c.624 §7; 2019 c.646 §6; 2021 c.8 §11]
Note: The amendments to 329.183 by section 29, chapter 631, Oregon Laws 2021, become operative January 1, 2023. See section 64, chapter 631, Oregon Laws 2021. The text that is operative on and after January 1, 2023, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
(1) The Prekindergarten Program Trust Fund is established as a fund in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. Interest earned by the trust fund shall be credited to the trust fund. The primary purposes of the trust fund are to:
(a) Assist eligible children with comprehensive services, including educational, social, health and nutritional development, to enhance their chances for success in school and life;
(b) Provide scholarships awarded to current and prospective early childhood care and education professionals, as described in ORS 329.181; and
(c) Provide grants to institutions of higher education to develop high-quality degree programs for early childhood care and education professionals, as described in ORS 329.181.
(2) For the purposes identified in subsection (1) of this section, the trust fund is continuously appropriated to the Department of Early Learning and Care.
(3) The department may solicit and accept money in the form of gifts, contributions and grants to be deposited in the trust fund. Except as provided in ORS 329.185, the acceptance of federal grants for purposes of ORS 329.170 to 329.200 does not commit state funds nor place an obligation upon the Legislative Assembly to continue the purposes for which the federal funds are made available.
(4) The trust fund may be included, if otherwise qualified, on a schedule of the Oregon individual income tax return for checkoff pursuant to application made to the Oregon Charitable Checkoff Commission under ORS 305.690 to 305.753 by the department.