Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-6001

A. The Legislature finds and declares the following:

1. It is an essential function of state government to forever

encourage schools and the means of education;

2. It is a responsibility of state government to maintain state

institutions of higher education;

3. It is an essential function of state government to encourage

attendance at state institutions of higher education;

4. Tuition costs at public institutions of higher education are

difficult for many to afford and are difficult to predict in order

to enable individuals and families to plan;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 1681

5. It is in the best interest of the people of this state to

foster public higher education in order to provide well-educated

citizens;

6. It is in the best interest of the people of this state to

encourage state residents desiring higher education to enroll in

state institutions of higher learning;

7. Students in elementary and secondary schools tend to achieve

a higher standard of performance when the payment of tuition for

their higher education is secured; and

8. Providing assistance to assure the higher education of the

citizens of this state is necessary and desirable for the public

health, safety and welfare.

B. It is therefore the intention of the Legislature that the

purposes of the Oklahoma Tuition Trust Act and of the Oklahoma

Tuition Trust Fund created by the Oklahoma Tuition Trust Act shall

be to:

1. encourage education and the means of education;

2. maintain state institutions of higher education by helping

to provide a stable financial base to these institutions;

3. provide wide and affordable access to state institutions of

higher education for the residents of this state;

4. encourage attendance at state institutions of higher

education;

5. provide students and their parents economic protection

against rising tuition costs;

6. provide students and their parents assistance in financing

postsecondary education;

7. help provide the benefits of higher education to the people

of this state; and

8. encourage elementary and secondary students in this state to

achieve high standards of performance.